EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 1^ 



arvalis, Linn.). Length of body, 3in. 91. ; tail, lin. 11. ; ears of moderate size. 

 A. subteiranetiSy D.S.L. Body, 2in. 91. ; tail, lin. 11. ; ears of moderate size, 

 tail black above, whitish beneath ; eyes very small. — A. rufescens, D.S.L. 

 Body, 2in. 91. ; tail lin. 4^1. ; ears rather large ; tail black above, whitish be- 

 low ; eyes prominent. This monograph contains four plates, figuring four 

 of the species of the natural size, and giving the heads of two. 



A New Instance of a Shower of Toads. — M. Pontus, a Professor, 

 at Cahors, has communicated to the Academie des Sciences of Paris, ano- 

 ther instance confirming the truth of the showers of Toads which have 

 already often occupied the attention of the Academy. " In the month 

 of August, 1834," he writes," I was in the diligence from Alby to Toulouse; 

 the weather being fine and clear. About four o'clock in the atlernoon, 

 three leagues from Toulouse, a dense fog suddenly covered the horizon, and 

 loud peals of thunder were heard. This mist burst upon the road, at about 

 120 yards (60 toises) from where we were. Two horsemen, returning to 

 Toulouse, whither we were going, and who found themselves exposed to the 

 storm, were obliged to put on their great coats ; but what was their surprise 

 and consternation when they were assailed by a shower of Toads. They 

 quickened their pace, and eagerly pressed forward, as soon as they met the 

 diligence, to relate what had happened. I still saw some small Toads upon 

 their cloaks. When the diligence reached the spot where the fog had burst, 

 we beheld the road, and the fields on both sides, covered with Toads, of which 

 the smallest was at least an inch in length, and the largest about two inches, 

 which led me to suppose they were one or two months old. There were 

 three or four layers super-imposed one above the other. The feet of the 

 horses and the carriage wheels crushed many thousands. On the road thus 

 covered we travelled at least a quarter of an hour, at the usual pace." — Bib. 

 Univ. de Geneve. 



BOTANY. 



New Fossil Plants Found in North America — ^Dr. Harlan has 

 published, at Philadelphia, a thick volume entitled Medical and Physical Re- 

 searches, &c., 1835. This work contains various papers on Medicine, Zoolo- 

 gy, &c. We extract the following notes on various species of fossil plants, 

 recently found in the United States : — Pecopteris obsoleta. This species 

 bears considerable resemblance to P. Cistii of Brongniart, but differs in 

 having the veins of the segments of the leaves slightly, or not at all marked. 

 It occurs in the sandstone of the bituminous strata of coal. 



Pecopteris Milleri. — P. Pinnulis obliquis rectis linearibus elongatis vix distinc- 

 tis nervulis slmpUcibus valde obliquis. Found in the same localities as the pre- 

 ceding, and resembles the P. Beaumontii, Brong. 



Equisetum stellifolium. — E. caule erecto simplici leevi cylindrico, diam. 1-8 pol- 

 lie. subeBquali, ramulis 10-12 ad arliculaiiones caulis verticillatis stellijormibus, 

 articulis vix distinctis superne approximaiis, vaginis indistinctis. Occurs in coal- 

 fields and bituminous earth in Pennsylvania. 



Fucoides Alleghaniensis . — F. fronde compressa rugata apice recur va obttisd, 

 ramis imequalibus digitalis et fastigiatis enervibus nudatis. Found in the com- 

 pact sandstone under the coal formations, on the mountains bordering the 

 river Juniata, near Sesquehanna. 



