1868. . Zoology. 427 
tent were connected, and a brisk conversation commenced between 
these two continental extremes. Compliments were then passed 
between San Francisco and Valentia, Ireland, when the latter an- 
nounced that a message was just then being received from London 
direct. This was said at 7.20 a.m., Valentia time, Feb. 1. At 7.21 
a.m., Valentia time, the London message was started from Valentia 
for San Francisco; passed through New York at 2.35 a.m., New 
York time; was received in San Francisco at 11.21 p.m., San 
Francisco time, Jan. 31, and was at once acknowledged—the whole 
process occupying two minutes actual time, and the distance tra- 
versed being about 14,000 miles! Immediately after the trans- 
mission of the message referred to, the operator at San Francisco 
sent an eighty-word message to Heart’s Content in three minutes, 
which the operator at Heart's Content repeated back im two minutes 
and fifty seconds. Distance, about 5,000 miles. 
12. ZOOLOGY—ANIMAL MORPHOLOGY AND 
PHYSIOLOGY. 
(Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London.) 
New Species of Ape.—lIt will be remembered that M. du Chaillu 
described a species of ape under the native name of Nshiego Mbouve, 
though zoologists were unwilling to accept it as a novelty, referring 
it to a variety of a known species. Dr. Slack of Philadelphia, how- 
ever, has described it, in a communication to the Academy of Natural 
Sciences of Philadelphia, as distinct from the Chimpanzee ; and says 
that a fine skeleton of an adult has been for some time in the 
Academy’s collection, and was until recently regarded as a chim- 
panzee. Duvernoy had previously decided in favour of its specific 
distinctiness. Dr. Slack’s description is, “ general colour black, 
sometimes grey in old age. Size, about equal to Anthropopithecus 
niger. Head, black and shining; chin of adult bearded. Lars, 
large, much larger than in the gorilla, though smaller than those 
of the chimpanzee. Inhabits the deep forests and table-lands of 
Equatorial Africa.” 
Acclimatization of Sparrows.—The sparrows introduced into 
Australia by the Acclimatization Society bid fair to become as great 
a nuisance as those of the south of England, which we hear of as 
being slaughtered by the thousand. The latest complaint against 
them is contained in a letter from the Rev. George Mackie of South 
Yarrow to the Melbourne Corporation, in which he complains of 
the excessive damage done to his fruit-trees in consequence of the 
