56 NOTICES OF SERIALS. 



scalpel, and the pen and pencil of several able Anatomists, in particular Treviranus, 

 Mueller, Newport, and Duverno. Dufour himself has previously, in 1817, pub- 

 lished anatomical observations on Scorpio occitanus. The present essay, based on 

 the examination of nine different species, under circumstances more favourable than 

 preceding observers could command, offers, doubtless, the most complete and 

 trustworthy account that has yet appeared of the structure of this family, which is 

 peculiarly interesting from its highly complicated organization, and because of the 

 light it throws on the rest of the class, in which the parts become more crowded and 

 confounded, so as to disguise their homologies. Dufour having traced the origin 

 of the nerves which supply the mandibles and chelipalps to the first thoracic gang- 

 lion, accordingly denies the existence of antennae in this tribe, and by inference in 

 the rest of the Arachnida. This conclusion agrees with the view entertained by 

 Latreille, who gave the name of Acera to the class in consequence. Dufour has 

 observed that the larger or intermediate eyes possess a certain degree of mobility of 

 the visual axis. Impugning the propriety of the generic divisions which have been 

 founded on the number of the eyes, he maintains that three ocelli at each side is 

 the constant number in various species to which more than this have been attributed ; 

 and he states the curious fact that in the Scorpio europceus, which has but two at 

 each side when full grown, there are three with their distinct optic nerves in 

 embryo ; but two of these contiguous, and one of them subsequently disappears 

 by abortion. Along with an ample liver, the scorpion possesses four filiform vessels 

 inserted in the intestinal canal, two of which are ramified at the ends. The posi- 

 tion of these accords so well with that of tbe Malpighian vessels in insects, that they 

 probably constitute, as in them, the urinary apparatus; though Dufour, faithful to 

 his preconceived opinions, will see in them nothing but biliary vessels, become 

 superfluous and inefficient through the co- existence of a more energetic hepatic 

 organ. 



BRITAIN. 

 The Annals and Magazine of Natural History ; including Zoology, Botany, 



and Geology. No. 109, January; No. 110, February ; No. Ill, March, 1857, 



With Plates. London : Taylor and Francis. 



No. 109. January. — (William Smith, F.L S., Professor of Natural History, 

 Queen's College, Cork) Notes of an Excursion to the Pyrenees in search of Diato- 

 maceae ; with two plates. The particulars of this Tour will be found in the Trans- 

 actions of the Dublin University Zoological and Botanical Association (vide Pro- 

 ceedings of Societies, page 12, etc.) This paper merely records the names of the 

 Diatoms collected. Among them we find nine new species. A Epithemia was 

 ound in a fresh water gathering made near the M Ville Eugenie," at Biarritz, and 

 named after the amiable mistress of the place. (H. J. Carter. Assistant-Surgeon, 

 H.C.S , Bombay) On the Development of the Root-cell, and its nucleus inChara 

 verticillata Rasch ; with a plate. (L. Barrett, F.G.S.) On two new species 

 of Echinodermata, new to the British Fauna ; with a plate. One of the new species 

 s a Comatula, C. Woodwardii; and the other an Amphidotus. A. gibbosus. 

 (Richard Bowse) Notes on the Permian System of the Counties of Durham and 

 Northumberland ; with a plate. (John Lycett) On the genus Quenstedtia. 

 (Thomas Williams, M.D., F.L.S.) On the uses of the Sand-canal in the Star- 

 fishes. (Rev. P. B. Brodie, A.M.) Remarks on the inferior Oolite and Lias in 

 parts of Northamptonshire, compared with the same formations in Gloucestershire. 

 (J. Van der Hceven, M.D., &c, Professor of Zoology in the University of Leyden) 

 Contributions to the knowledge of tbe Anatomy of the Nautilus Pompilius, Z., 

 especially with reference to the male animal ; with two plates. Bibliographical 



Notices. Proceed. ngs of Societies Zoological Society, February 26th; 



Marcb L lth, 1856. Miscellaneous. — Meteorological Observations and Table 

 for November, 18o6. 



No. 110, February. — (Dr C. F. J. Lachman) On the organization of the Infu- 

 soria, especially the Vorticellae. (Rev. W. A. Leighton) New British Lichens; 

 with a plate. (Tuomas Williams, M.D , F.L.S.) On the so-called *' Water- 

 Vascalar System." (C. Spence Bate, F.L. S.) A synopsis of the British Edrioph- 



