28 



mine several of the fishes, nor have I yet had leisure to compare my 

 notes with authorities on the subject, to make out the species. The 

 size of the particles of all the cartilaginous fishes is very much larger 

 than of the osseous ; the particles were few in number, transparent, 

 soft, readily changing their shape from slight pressure ; nuclei distinct. 



I have given the dimensions just as I noted them down. All the 

 fishes were fresh. J- D. 



Constantinople, Jan. 8, 1842. 



I have had a Humming Bird killed and instantly brought to me ; 

 its blood-corpuscles were beautifully definite, regular and uniform. 

 The disc very thin, perfectly flat, the nucleus slightly raised, and the 

 two corresponding in outline. The corpuscle l-2666th by l-4000th 

 of an inch ; the long diameter of the nucleus very nearly l-4000th. 

 The blood was small in quantity, as I apprehend is the blood of birds 

 generally, but not deficient in red corpuscles. I have found its tem- 

 perature to be about 105°. Whilst its solid food is insects, I believe 

 its drink is the sweet juice of flowers. I have not a book to refer to 

 for the species. Tail-feathers black ; head green ; rump green ; -vvings 

 brownish, almost black. J. D. 



Barbadoes, Jan. T, 1846. 



The next paper ■was entitled " Descriptions of thirty new species 

 of Helicea, belonging to the collection of H. Cuming, Esq.," by Dr. 

 L. PfeifFer :— 



1 . Helix Swainsoni, Pfr. Hel. testd umbilicatd, utrinąue depres- 

 sissimd, tenui, pellucidd, subarcuatim ruguloso-striatd, virescenti- 

 fulvd, lineis 2 rujis ornutd ; anfractibus 5 depressis, medio con- 

 vexiusculis, carinatis ; carind rufescente, acutd, breviter promi- 

 nente, subrugulosd ; umbilico mediocri, profuiido ; aperturd per- 

 oblicud, depresse securiformi ; peristomate simplice, recto, margine 

 columellari subincrassato. 



Diam. 16, alt. 5 mill. 



From Tahiti ; under stones (B. W. Tucker, Esq.). 



2. Helix stenostoma, Pfr. Hel. testd imperforatd, globuloso- 

 depressd, solidd, subleevigatd, nitidd, albd, fascid unicd fuscd ad 

 peripheriam et seriebus 2 macularum aurantiarum ornatd, punc- 

 tisąue griseis obsolete aspersd ; anfractibus 4^ vix convexiuscvlis, 

 ultimo ventroso, antice abrupte deflexo ; aperturd subhorizontali, 

 elUpticd ; peristomate albo, labiato, marginibus approximatis, su- 

 pero breviter expanso, basali arcuato, appresse reflexo. 



Diam. 13-15, alt. 8|-9 mill. 

 Locality unknovi^n. 



3. BuLiMus HOLOSTOMA, Pfr. Bul. testd rimato-perforatd, cylin- 

 draced, apice obtuso, opaco, carneo-cinereo, obliąue et vaUde pli- 

 rato-costnto ; anfractibus 7 subplanulatis, deorsum atte?iuatis, 

 supernc subangulatis, ultimo \ longifudinis sub(rquanfe ; apertura 



