394 Scientific Intelligence — Zoology. 



found a pretty perfect cranium of a Khytina. The interest which 

 attached to the latter induced him to make an accurate drawing of 

 it, and to prepare a memoir, which he read to the Academy. In 

 this essay, besides an introduction, which treats of the knowledge we 

 possess of the Rhi/tina, M. Brandt makes some general observations 

 on Steller's description of its cranium, and shews that the cranium 

 of the Manatus described by Fabricius could not have belonged to 

 this animal. He then describes the cranium found at Behrincr's 

 Island, and proves that it really is the cranium of the Rhytina. He 

 first considers the general form of the cranium, next gives a descrip- 

 tion of each of the bones in detail, and, lastly, he describes the ana- 

 logous forms, to which he compares it. 



M. Brandt divides his memoir on the Sirenice into three parts : 

 in the first, he treats of the external form, and of the structure of 

 the animal — of its mode of existence — of the countries it inhabits — 

 and its disappearance, &c. ; in the second, he investigates the affini- 

 ties of the Rhytina ; and in the third he gives a characteristic and a 

 classification of the Sirenise. The following are the conclusions to 

 which he has been led : — 1. In its external form, and especially in 

 the structure of the tail and of the double lips, and in the gengival 

 plates, and the plates of the lower jaw, which were placed opposite 

 to each other, the Khytina evidently resembled the Dugong (Hali" 

 core), and might, if we did not meet with many other distinctions, 

 be regarded as a Dugong wanting teeth. 2. The internal structure 

 of the Rhytina, and more especially the structure of the cranium, 

 presents a great many distinctive marks which are only observed in 

 the Manati. 3. The Rhytina, independently of the characters which 

 it has in common with the other genera of the Sirenice, also presents 

 many characters which are entirely peculiar to it, such, for example, 

 as the complete absence of teeth, and a particular structure of the 

 alveolar portion of the upper jaw. 4. The Rhytina, according to 

 what has now been said, ought to constitute a particular type among 

 the Manat^ (^Sirenice), which, of the three known genera, is the one 

 which approaches most nearly to the whales. 



These considerations, therefore, have induced the author to pro* 

 pose the following clc.:sification of the Sireniae, and he accompanies 

 it by a full comparative characteristic of the genera, as well as the 

 tribes : — 



Tribe 1. JDcntigera or Halicorea : — Manatus and Halicore. 



Tribe 2. Edentata or Bhytinea : — Rhytina. 

 — {Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of St Petersburg, in 

 V Institute No. 619.) 



39. On the White Race of the Aures, fMons AurariusJ in the 

 Province of Constantine, Algeria, By M. Guy on, Surgcon-in- Chief 

 of the French Army in Africa. — M. Guyon took the opportunity cf 

 the expedition lately made in the Aures, under the command of 

 JUieutenant-General Bedeau, to collect new information regarding 



