450 Miscellaneous, 



lets go until forced to do so. I placed a sand lizard within its 

 reach, which it instantly seized, and retained its hold for upwards of 

 two hours, although for more than half that time it was suspended 

 from it. 



Before concluding, permit me to mention that the following rep- 

 tiles have been found by me near Liverpool since August last : Zoo- 

 toca vivipara, Lacerta agilis, Natrix torquata, Vijpera communis, Tri- 

 ton palusiris, T. aquaticus, T. vulgaris, Rana temporaria, Bufo vul- 

 garis. I remain, yours very respectfully, 



W. Wells. 



New species of Fossil Bats. By M. H. de Meyer. 

 Cheiroptera have but rarely been found fossil in the tertiary for- 

 mations. Of this family, in the deposits anterior to the diluvian 

 epoch, only the Vespertilio parisiensis of the schists of Montmartre 

 was known, a single individual of which is preserved in the Museum 

 of Paris ; and two small teeth found in the eocene sand of Kyson, 

 and referred with doubt by Prof. Owen to the genus Vespertilio. The 

 species indicated by Karg, at CEningen, appears to be very uncertain, 

 and the original specimen has not been discovered again. Hermann 

 de Meyer has detected at Weisenau, amongst a considerable mass of 

 fragments of bones, some belonging to two Cheiroptera. They con- 

 sist of one half of the right lower jaw, in which, although the teeth 

 are wanting, the alveoli are sufficiently well preserved to give an 

 idea of the dental system ; of three humeri, of which two are left and 

 one right, which show the existence of two species, and prove even 

 probably a generic difference between them ; lastly, of one half of a 

 radius which likewise can only belong to a Cheiroptera. These two 

 species differ from that of Montmartre, and H. de Meyer has desig- 

 nated them under the name of Vespertilio prcecox and V. insignis, until 

 their generic affinities are definitely fixed. — Leonhard und Bronn's 

 Jahrbuch, 1845, p. 798. 



Does Magnetism influence the Circulation in Chara ? 



By M. DUTROCHET. 



In some experiments made in the year 1837, M. Dutrochet proved 

 that electric currents only affect the circulation of Chara by their 

 action as exciting causes. The movement of the fluid is only arrested 

 for a few minutes and then recommences, often with greater rapidity 

 than before, as the equilibrium between the electric and vital forces 

 is restored. This action is exactly analogous to that of hot water 

 or solution of common salt. 



M. Dutrochet has recently submitted Chara to the influence of a 

 large electro-magnet, capable of supporting a weight of about 4000 

 pounds. The stem of Chara was placed a little in front of a plane 

 passing vertically through the poles of the horse- shoe magnet, but 

 quite within the magnetic influence. Careful observation at the 

 moment of establishing the electric current in the coil, proved that 

 the speed of the circulation was unaltered. Left thus for ten mi- 

 nutes, all remained as before — no influence was manifested. The 



