390 Scientific Intelligejice, ^"c. 



wholesome without salt for many months. The bones were highly 



esteemed by the natives, and when taken in a powder were highly 



beneficial in complaints of the kidneys. It was also believed to 



bellow like a bull, and to fight desperately on some occasions. It 



moved through the water with great rapidity, not, however, by 



moving the tail laterally, as other fish, but vertically, up and 



down. It had been asserted, that this animal could not live on 



shore; but this he doubted, as it was unable to breathe like a fish, 



the respirative organs being nearly the same as those of terrestrial 



animals, and it was, therefore, obliged to come to the surface to 



respire, and always slept with its nose above water, under shielding 



banks. Indeed, nature seemed to have placed it in an element which 



it was not fitted to ; it was unable both to breathe and procure food 



under water, and it was thought that had it legs to walk on shore it 



would abide there. It was also suggested, that it would be desirable 



to find pasturage for these animals connected with small pools of 



water, and thus droves of the sea cow might be found ; a case 



was instanced of a sea cow being kept in a small lake, in one of the 



West Indian Islands for 26 years, which became so tame as to be 



pleased with the human voice, to come when called, and to swim 



across the lake with children on its back without plunging beneath 



the surface of the water. The upper part of the body approximated 



to the human form, and the posterior to the fish, and when it rose 



out of the water to gather food from the banks, it had much the 



appearance of what is called the mermaid ; and, from it probably the 



fable of mermaids and the tritons originated; particularly as the 



Indians usually had painted on the sterns of the canoes a figure 



similar to that which the cow fish presented, when in the position 



described, which they styled, " the man of the waters." 



On the 3Iode of preserving Animal and Vegetable Substances. 

 Dr. Macartney read an interesting paper on this subject; in the 

 course of which he stated, that by washing insects, skins of animals, 

 or flowers in essential oil of cloves, or, indeed, in any essential oil, 

 they might be preserved for a great length of time without injury. 



The Kev. Mr. Hope read a communication from Mr. Raddon, On 

 the MeaJis of obtaining Insects from Turpentine, and exhibited 

 two cases, containing a vast number of very fine specimens. Mr. 

 Hope observed, that in future it would not be necessary to proceed 

 to America to procure insects, as it was only necessary to go to the 

 warehouses of those merchants who imported turpentine, and by 

 searching through it when boiling, they might very shortly obtain 

 sufficient specimens to form fine collections at a few shillings' expense. 

 Thursday, August 26th. — Before proceeding to business, the 

 President announced, that the Sectional Committee had made 

 arrangements for a "holiday on Friday, in order that the Section 

 might proceed on either of the excursions fixed for that day. 



Zoology of North America. — Dr, Richardson read the conclud- 

 ing part of his report on North American Zoology, which treated 

 principally of birds and fishes. He also incidentally referred to a 

 small fish which drummed at the bottom of vessels on the North 

 American Coasts, and so loudly as to shake the vessel, and to render 

 utterly impossible for persons unaccustomed to it, to sleep. The 



