NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 133 



form, resembling a St. Peter's cross. As he could not connect the 

 specimen with a stem of Psaronius, he proposed to call it Stauropteris 

 Oldhamia. In the above-named coal, as well as that of the Lower 

 Brooksbottom Seam, there is a great variety of beautiful petioles 

 which have not yet been described. Some of them evidently belong 

 to the genus Zygopferis, and may probably be discovered in connection 

 with their stems, but most of them have been found detached, and 

 sometimes mistaken for the rootlets of Stigmaria. From some speci- 

 mens in his cabinet he is led to believe that Cotta's Medullosa elegans 

 is merely the rachis of a fern or a plant allied to one. 



NOTES AND MEMOEANDA. 



Death of Mr. Patterson, F.R.S. — We regret to announce the death 

 of Eobert Patterson, F.R.S., which took place on the 14th of February, 

 at Belfast. He was well known as a distinguished zoologist and as 

 the author of Patterson's ' Zoology for Schools.' He did much ser- 

 vice in national education. His microscopic work was not of equal 

 importance with his general zoological researches. 



The ' Amateur Microscopist ' is the title of an American work just 

 published. It is by Professor John Brocklesby, M.A., and is illus- 

 trated by 247 figures on wood and stone. We have not yet seen it, so 

 of course we retain our opinion of it. 



A Text-book of Pathological Histology.— This valuable book, 

 which is by Professor Edmund Eindfleish, of Bonn, has been translated 

 into English from the second edition by Dr. W. C. Kloman and Dr. 

 F. T. Miles, both American physicians. 



Mr. Darwin in the Academy of Sciences.— We are glad to learn 

 from the ' British Medical Journal ' that Mr. Darwin has been placed 

 first on the list for the forthcoming election of a CorresiJonding 

 Member in Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Paris, and will 

 therefore no doubt receive the honour. His supporters were MM. 

 Milne-Edwards, Quatrefages, and Lacaze-Duthiers. 



Excursion of the 'Hasler.' — We learn from an American contem- 

 porary that this vessel sailed on its voyage of discovery on December 

 the 4th, and will touch first at St. Thomas Island. The steamer burns 

 less than three tons of coal a day, and can thus run 8000 miles on 

 150 tons of coal, a remarkable saving of fuel. Professor Agassiz has 

 taken out abundant stores for preserving specimens, and deep-sea nets 

 and hooks specially adapted for catching fish at great depths. This 

 journal (the 'American Naturalist') also publishes a letter to Professor 

 Pierce, the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, in regard to the aims 

 of the dredging party. 



