British Association. 385 



existence of the Society, met together to accelerate the progress of 

 important truths. After some discussion on this paper, Dr. Daubeny 

 stated to the Section the result of some experiments which he had 

 made on the eiFects of arsenic on vegetables. A friend of his, Mr. 

 Davies Gilbert, residing in Cornwall, had stated to him, that the soil 

 in the neighbourhood of mines, being impregnated to the amount of 

 fifty per cent, with arsenic, had a great effect on the vegetable 

 kingdom. He had, therefore, tried some experiments at Oxford, 

 and he found that the plants, which were barley and beans, did not 

 suffer till nearly one-half the soil was composed of the sulphuret of 

 arsenic. This proves that the statement of Mr. Gilbert was correct. 

 Mr. Stephens stated, that the fish in some trout streams in the 

 vicinity of mines were destroyed in consequence of the water drained 

 from the mines having been turned into them. A coachmaker of 

 this city had informetl him that his horses had suffered very much 

 in. consequence of grazing in a field near spelter works. 



Tuesday^ 2Zrd August. — Dr. Richardson read a second portion 

 of his paper on North American Zoology, embracing the Mammalia, 

 his observations on the species having reference generally to the 

 similarity of the North American Zoological division to that of 

 Europe, and its comparatively small connexion with that of South 

 America, notwithstanding their geographical approximation. Of the 

 order Quadrumana, of which many with prehensile tails belong to 

 South America, none range southwards of the Isthmus of Darien, 

 while one has located itself in the southern extremity of Europe. 

 Of the Cheiroptera, the North American species, are analogous to 

 those of Europe, and very distinct from those of the southern division 

 of either the old or new world. The North American Insectivora, 

 on the contrary, differ greatly from those of Europe, the only genus 

 common to both sides of the Atlantic ocean being sorex, or the 

 shrews. Of the Marsupiata, three species are found within the 

 limits of the United States, and they may be considered as ranging 

 so far north, for their head quarters, in the southern zoological 

 province of the new world. The existence of this order in 

 America connects its zoology with that of New Holland, and dis- 

 tinguishes it from that of all other portions of the globe. To the 

 family Carnivora, most of terrestrial quadrupeds, common to the new 

 and old world belong, and a similar remark may be made of the 

 birds of prey, for exclusive of the Phocse, which, like the Amphibia > 

 and Cetacea, may be looked upon as belonging properly to the 

 waters, the Falconidae, of all birds, have the species most widely 

 distributed. The American Seals are, without exception, also found 

 on the shores of either Europe or Asia. The Gnawers, or Rodentia, 

 serve to characterize the North American zooh)gy from the great 

 number of the species, exceeding those of any other quarter of the 

 world, and the many peculiar forms they include. The small order 

 Edintata, wliich forms a very characteristic and almost peculiar 

 part of South American Zoology, is scarcely to be considered as 

 belonging at all to North America, though three or four species 

 cross the dividing line of the two provinces in Mexico. In former 

 times the case was different, as the remains of very large and re- 

 YOL .IV. 2 C 



