^6 Scientific hitcUigence. — ZooIogT/. 



by Sir James Macgrigor), circulated throughout Southern Afri- 

 ca, by Dr Smith, whose zeal and activity in every thing apper- 

 taining to the Natural History of Africa, cannot be too much 

 prized, will interest our readers. 



32. Narcotic Spider. — In the caves in Pennsylvania, there 

 is found a black species of spider, spotted with blue over its ab~ 

 domen, and which has been given internally with success in certain 

 fevers. It has the narcotic property, although in a less de- 

 gree than opium. Mr Hentz, who relates this fact, mentions 

 another species of spider which possesses a similar property in 

 America, in which it is also indigenous. Spiders are known 

 that have the property of raising blisters, and others which, on 

 being swallowed, have caused an excitement of the genital or- 

 gans Hke that produced by cantharides. — Journal de Phar- 

 macie. 



33. Power of the Stomach of' Birds. — M. Constantin, in the 

 Archives of the Society of Pharmacy of Northern Germany, 

 mentions as a remarkable example of the power of the stomach, 

 in resisting a mass of undigested matter, a fowl in the stomach of 

 which there were found three large pieces of flint, three metal 

 buttons, fourteen iron nails, several of which were still very 

 sharp, and a great number of small stones. With the excep- 

 tion of some slight scratches on the inner membrane, the sto- 

 mach was in its natural state. 



34?. Vulture shot in Somersetshire. — Our intelligent friend 

 W.C. Trevelyan, Esq. informs us, that a vulture was shot in June 

 last, at Kilve, near Bridgwater, in Somersetshire. It was first 

 observed walking on a road, and, on being pursued, flew towards 

 the coast of the Bristol Channel, distant about a mile, when it was 

 found sitting on the beach, and shot. It had recently gorged 

 itself with a putrid lamb, which may probably have been the 

 cause of its allowing itself being approached within shot : on 

 opening it for the purpose of stuffing, the smell was excessively 

 offensive. Another bird, apparently of the same species, was 

 seen near the place where this was killed, but it evaded pursuit. 

 The specimen killed measured from the tip of the beak to the end 

 of the tail, 2 feet 3 inches ; from the tip of one wing to the tip of 

 the other, 5 feet 6 J inches. A notice of the interesting fact, 



