ZOOLOGY. 731 



developed, or at latest in its incipiency, birds of various kinds almost 

 or quite deserted, apparently, the towns of Zagazig in Egypt (p. 329), 

 Salisbury in England (342), the island of Mauritius (p. 366), and West 

 Barbary (p. 389). Other instances have been recorded, but in a rather 

 skeptical spirit, by Pfarrer niickel, of Windsheim, in the "Zoologi- 

 sche Garten" of Frankfurt-am Main (vol. xiv, p. 328). At Zagazig, so 

 long as the birds remained flying about as usual, it was considered that 

 the inhabitants were quite secure from any attack, but when they left 

 somecitizens would leave also from fear of impending pestilence. " The 

 birds had been observed by old hands to depart before the approach of 

 cholera during the last four epidemics" (p. 3l!9). At Salisbury, a man, 

 "whose duty it was to oil the vane upon the spire, had made his usual 

 ascent (of 404 feet), and had perceived a foul scent, which it seems had 

 not been noticed below. The inhabitants connected this with the ap- 

 pearance of the epidemic shortly afterwards. Birds might, no doubt, 

 be affected by such a circumstance" (p. 342). These observations seem 

 to be to the point, but mure, scientifically conducted, are requisite be- 

 fore full credence can be put in the alleged coincidence of cholera and 

 absence or paucity of birds. 



Relations of the Penguins. — The Penguins or Spheniscids have bceu 

 anatomically examined by Professor Watson, of Manchester, and some 

 interesting conclusions adduced. These have been embodied in a " Re- 

 port on the anatomy of the Spheniscids collected during the voyage of 

 H. M. S. Challenger." Among the most important peculiarities of the 

 group are the skeletal characteristics of the limbs. The anterior are 

 distinguished by the peculiar form and mode of articulation of the carpal 

 bones ; by the union of the first or radial, which, although independent 

 in the embryo, becomes inseparably anchylosed with the second meta- 

 carpal bone in the adult; and by the absence of a free pollex. The 

 posterior have a tarso-metatarsus which "presents features which serve 

 at once to uistinguish that bone from the corresponding skeletal element 

 of any other group of birds, being altogether shorter and broader than 

 in these, with the single exception of the genus Fregatta. From Fre- 

 gatia, however, as grow all other birds, the Penguin is distinguished by 

 the clearly defined separation of the metatarsal elements, the shafts of 

 which are differentiated from one another, while in other birds these 

 bones are indistinguishably fused together." Further, the position of 

 the tarso-metatarsus seems to be peculiar among birds. " In all other 

 birds, during terrestrial locomotion, the tarso-metatarsus is elevated so 

 that only its distal extremity comes into relation with the ground, the 

 4 heel ' of the foot, physiologically considered, in the case of other birds 

 being situated at the distal extremity of the tarso-metatarsus, while in 

 the Spheniscidse it is formed by the proximal end of that bone. In 

 accordance with this arrangement we find that while in the majority of 

 birds the metatarsophalangeal articulations admit of great mobility 



