S8 Notices and Analyses, 



others. As to the supposed use of this muscle in the dog, Monro 

 remarks, it " may assist in keeping the penis distended in time of copu- 

 lation ;" and Douglas ascribes to it the same office. Cuvier, however, 

 (and, in ouropinion, with more apparent accuracy,) suggests, that "in the 

 green monkey, (Simia SabcBa, Lin.) in which it has no middle tendon, 

 it may serve to compress the dorsal vein." Is the muscle of the mar- 

 supial mammary gland in the kanguroo tendinous? and is not the 

 inferior vena cava protected from pressure by a tendon ? 



We have ourselves occupied considerable time in seeking for this muscle 

 in the human body, but, perhaps owing to the subjects we have exa- 

 mined not being sufficiently robust, it has as yet escaped our observa- 

 tion. At all events, traces of it do not appear to be very constant in 

 man, and whatever may be its use in the lower animals, we see little 

 evidence at present for supposing, that the erection of the penis in 

 man is connected in any degree with Mr Houston's " newly discovered" 

 muscle. 



The author farther considers, that the establishment of his opinion, as 

 to the use of this muscle, " might perhaps justify the inference, that 

 in every case of the kind," (as in the nipples of the mammae, the 

 wattles of the cock, &c. ) " though our senses cannot discover it, the 

 accumulation of fluid may, in some way, be directed by mechanical 

 agency." We may take this opportunity of intimating to anatomists, 

 for the purpose of preventing anticipation, that we hope shortly to be 

 able to demonstrate certain muscles of the cheeks, by means of which 

 young ladies and gentlemen blush. But did it occur to Mr Houston 

 to calculate how long muscular contraction usually continues ? We 

 fear that his two experiments of ligatures round the veins and round 

 the artery of a dog, prove nothing to the purpose. 



The author conjectures, that the internal cerato-maxillary muscles, 

 described by him, in the chameleon, (Trans. Royal Irish Acad. 1828, 

 and Ed. New Phil. Joum. Apr. 1829,) have a similar influence in 

 producing the distension of the erectile portion of the tongue, — a 

 structure which he beautifully displayed in a plate accompanying his 

 memoir. Mr Houston's illustrations are excellent. 



Memoires du Museum, Sfc. Memoirs of the Museum of Natural 

 History, Vol. XIX. part 2. Paris. 1830. 



The present Part contains the following papers : — 



1. Lyonet. On the Anatomy of diflferent species of Insects, 3d article. 



2. Jussieu. Note on Oncostemum, a new genus of Ardisiacece. 



3. Cordier. Note on subterranean temperature in the United States. 



4. Laugier. Analysis of magnesiferous carbonate of lime from Spezzia, 



in the Appenines. 



Memoires presentes par divers Savans, S^c. Memoirs presented 

 by learned Foreigners to the Royal Academy of Sciences of 

 the Institute of France. Section, Mathematical and Physical 

 Sciences. Vol. II. 1830. 



This volume is entirely occupied by an elaborate memoir, by M. 

 Robineau des Voidy, on the Myodaria Des Void., a family of dipter- 

 ous insects, corresponding to nearly the whole of the Muscidce of Latr. 

 and Lamarck. 



