Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 153 



selves with their head and tail both in the plane of primitive 

 polarization, or in a plane at right angles to it, they have no 

 action upon the light transmitted through them ; but when in 

 a plane inclined -^5° to the plane of polarization, the light is 

 depolarized, their whole bodies becoming illuminated in the 

 most brilliant manner, varying in intensity according to their 

 size, and the nature of the different parts and substances ; 

 the peculiar interlacing of the muscles marking out regular 

 divisions, which, as the creature changes its position with 

 regard to the plane of polarization, exhibit all the varied 

 hues and brilliant tints that have rendered this important 

 branch of physical optics so exceedingly interesting. 



And while thus viewing them, if we place behind a thin 

 plate of sulphate of lime or mica, the change and play of 

 colours as the creature moves are greatly increased, and are 

 exceedingly beautiful. 



These phaenomena in the larvae of the Corethra jjlumi- 

 cornis are seen if possible in a more splendid manner in the 

 spawn of many large fishes, but more particularly in the 

 young fishes themselves, which in their early state are, many 

 of them, equally transparent, particularly those of marine 

 production. 



The first time I showed them was on the 7th June to Mr. 

 F. Watkins, afterwards to T. E. Wilks, Esq. and other gen- 

 tlemen ; and on Tuesday evening the 25th June, I read some 

 notes on the subject, and exhibited them with many other 

 experiments, to the members of the Zoological Society, at 

 one of their regular meetings. 



J. F. GODDARD. 



XXVIII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. — TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 



THE preparations for the Exj)edition to the Antarctic Regions 

 under the command of Capt. Jas. Ross, are in great forward- 

 ness ; and the instructions, drawn up with a view to render it of the 

 greatest senice to every branch of science, have occupied the atten- 

 tion of all the committees of the Royal Society. 



Observations on the phsenomena of terrestrial magnetism being 

 among the principal objects of the voyage, a translation of Pro- 

 fessor Gauss's General Theory, which has been made for the fur- 

 therance of this object under the direction of Sir J. Herschel, will 

 appear next week in the Sixth Part of the Scientific Memoirs, in 

 addition to other papers on the same subject by Gauss and Weber, 

 which have been prepared under the inspection of Major Sabine and 

 Professor Lloyd. 



