Zoological Noticet. JUT 



determination of the elements of their orbits, a simple and con- 

 venient analytical method, published in 1797, at Weimar, un- 

 der the care of the Baron de Zach, and which is still the mogt 

 generally followed, especially in Germany. He was also much 

 interested in the periodical appearance of falling stars, a sub- 

 ject which has excited great attention of late years ; and his 

 last letter, dated 19th August 1839, and published in Schu- 

 macher''s Journal (Astronomische Nachrichten No. 384) related 

 to that topic* He preserved to a very advanced age his re- 

 markable intellectual faculties and his scientific zeal. His cha- 

 racter was modest, benevolent, elevated, and independent. His 

 death was calm ; and the Bremen Gazette, in announcing the 

 mournful event, adds the following words, which embrace a 

 simple but honourable encomium on this celebrated philoso- 

 pher, in his public and his social relations. " During his long 

 and brilliant career, he always enjoyed, as a medical practi- 

 tioner, as a citizen, and as a man, the confidence, the grateful 

 attachment, the esteem, and the friendship of his fellow-citi- 

 zens." — ( Bibliotheque Universelle de Geneve, March 1840.) 



Zoological Notices regarding the Cephalopoda, Pgrosoma, ScU- 

 pa, Carinaria, Echinus, Holothuria, Hydrostatic Acalephoe, 

 Beroe, and Coralline Polypidoms. By Messrs Milne Eb- 

 WARDS and Peters. 



1. Cephalopoda. — It is well known, that in the male appa- 

 ratus of the Cephalopoda, there are certain singular bodies 

 which were discovered by Swammerdam and Needham, and 

 which, when they are extracted from the membranous pouch, 

 where they are lodged side by side, perform various brisk 

 movements, change their form, and speedily burst. Some na- 

 turalists have thought that these filiform bodies were sperma- 



* The 50th year of the doctorship of Oibers was celebrated at Bremen by 

 a grand /c/c, the 28th December 1830. Numerous testimonies of esteem and 

 respect were offered him on that occasion; both at home and abroad, and two 

 medals, struck in his honour, were presented, the one by the Museum of Bre- 

 men, and the other by MM. de Zach and Lindenau.~(See the Astronomiseh: 

 Nachrichten, No. 192.) 



