NOTICES OF SERIALS. 19 



object of these remarks is to bring forward some evidence against the u axile" theory 

 of placentation, and to show that the " free central" placenta found in many plants 

 is really composed of a second whorl of carpels, with inverted edges. (Dr. J. E. 

 Gray) On the Attitudes and Figures of the Morse or Walrus. This paper is 

 illustrated with woodcuts representing this animal as figured by Gesner, in 1560, 

 down to the same animal figured, in more recent days, by Shaw, in his " Zoology." 

 (J. Gould, F.R.S.) Descriptions of Eight New Species of Birds from South 

 America ; (Dr. Pringsheim) On the Impregnation and Germination of the Algae. 

 Bibliographical Notices A History of the British Marine Testaceous Mollusca, by 

 W. Clark; The Ferns of Great Britain, by J. E. Sowerby ; First Steps in Eco- 

 nomic Botany, by T. C. Archer; The Entomologists' Annual for 1855. Proceedings 

 of Learned Societies Royal Society, March 1, 1855 ; March 22. Linnean 

 Society, June 20, 1854; November 11; November 21. Zoological Society, 

 January 10, 1854 ; January 24. Botanical Society of Edinburgh, March 8, 

 1855. Miscellaneous Origin of Wheat ; Mr. Busk's Anomalous Shell, by 

 Professor Henslow ; On the Fructification of Arachis, by H. M. Neisler, Esq. ; On 

 the Structure of the Starch Granule, by Mr. Grundy ; Description of a New 

 Species of Aulacorhamphus, by J. Gould, F.R.S. ; Meteorological Observations and 

 Table for March, 1855. 



No. 90, June : (R. H. Meade, F.R.C.S.) Monograph on the British Species of 

 Phalangiidse, or Harvest-men with two plates. Of this interesting family of 

 Arachnids, we have here enumerated and described no less than fifteen species. 

 We trust that Mr. Meade will turn his attention to other families of the spiders, 

 and rescue this portion of the creation from the oblivion into which it seems to have 

 fallen. (Hugo von Mohl) On the Structure of Chlorophyll concluded from page 

 329 ; (John Lycett) On Perna quadrata, Sow. ; (Edward Vernon Harcourt) Notes 

 on the Ornithology of Madeira. The only bird which is truly indigenous to Madeira 

 appears to be a new species of wren, now, for the first time, described by Mr. 

 Harcourt, under the title of Regulus Maderensis. It is a brightly- coloured little 

 bird, and lives secluded among the laurel forests, or arborescent heaths, in the least 

 frequented portions of the island. (M. Alphouse De Candolle) On the Characters 

 which Distinguish the Vegetation of a Country. Proceedings of Learned Societies 

 Zoological Society, January 7, 24, 1854, Dr. Gray, Vice-president, in the Chair. 

 Royal Society, February 15, 1855, Thomas Bell, V.P., in the Chair ; April 24, 

 Sir B. Brodie, Bart., V.P., in the Chair. Miscellaneous On Phcenicura Tithys, 

 by Dr. Jordan. We give the following account by Dr. Jordan of this bird : " This 

 bird may be regarded as a regular winter visitor to the south coast of Devon, and, 

 though local in its distribution, as, indeed, is also its more frequent congener, in its 

 own peculiar haunts it may be met with every year. Our first acquaintance with 

 it began in 1844 ; we then shot two specimens a male on January 4, and a 

 female on the 10th of the same month. They are apt to keep in pairs during the 

 time of their sojourn with us, a male and a female usually frequenting the same 

 spot. For some winters after this, circumstances prevented our searching for the 

 birds ; nor did we think the visit was other than an accidental occurrence, especially 

 as the season had been unusually mild ; and one of my brothers was fortunate 

 enough to shoot an Accentor Alpinus on the cliffs near the same spot upon the 9th 

 of January in the same year. But in 1851 we met with our old friends again, and 

 a splendid male was killed by us on the 30th of January, and a female on the 21st 



