1869.] Zoology. 475 



was led to expect from the occurrence of forms apparently interme- 

 diate between species whieli live in adjoining habitats. Mr. E. 

 Bishop, of Plymonth, records in the ' Annals ' that he has seen 

 copulation take place in a group of Barnacles which he was keepuig 

 in an aquarium. Great activity and excitement was exhibited by 

 all the specimens, and they continually threw out a long tongue- 

 like organ which penetrated adjacent individuals, and was clearly in 

 his opinion an act of impregnation. 



Physiology. 



Action of Anesthetics on the Blood. — Dr. J. H, IMcQuillen, of 

 Philadelphia, has made a microscopical examination of the blood-cor- 

 puscles of animals kiUed by chloroform and by nitrous oxide, with 

 a view of testing the assertion of Dr. Sansom, that chloroform 

 destroys the red corpuscles. He finds that it undoubtedly does so 

 when brought into contact with the blood after it has been drawn 

 and placed on a glass slip, but that it certainly has no such effect 

 in the body, nor has nitrous oxide, as he fully proves by experiment. 

 Dr. McQuillen adds to this, that he considers undue prominence 

 has been given by physiologists to the blood-corpuscles as the 

 carriers of oxygen to the tissues, and carbonic acid gas to the lungs, 

 and that it is reasonable to infer that the hquor sanguinis is engaged 

 in this operation. But to what physiologists does he refer? 

 Surely he cannot be acquainted with the modern researches and 

 conclusions on this matter, for it is universally admitted, as the 

 result of experiment, that a large part of the carbonic acid of the 

 blood is held by the serum ; indeed it has been a question if any is 

 held by the corpuscles at all. Alexander Schmidt in a recent paper 

 has shown that a variable amount is present in the corpuscles, 

 whilst Sertoli and Zuntz have also been at work on the matter. 

 The latter physiologist believes that a portion of the CO2 of the 

 blood is combined with carbonate of sodium and phosphate of 

 sodium in the serum ; the rest is in part merely dissolved, and in 

 part retained, with a combination of potash and haemoglobin in the 

 blood-corpuscles. 



Insusceptihility of Pigeons to Opkim-poisoning. — Dr. Weir 

 Michell, an able American physiologist, having occasion to produce 

 sleep in pigeons, administered to them doses of various preparations 

 of opium, but failed to produce the desired effect. Astonished at 

 the failure, he made experiments with a view of seeing how much 

 opium was required to kiU these birds. He writes, " Pigeon took 

 80 drops of black-drop internally; no efiect except a tendency 

 to keep quiet ; no signs of stupor ; no change of pupils ; feathers 

 ruffled, as is common with these birds when sick from any cause. 

 Pigeon received 42 drops of black-drop under skin of groin. 



VOL. VI. 2 K 



