338 
of the British series of posterior formation 
to the blue Zias. 
A considerable number of the bones of 
yarious wild animals, (among which can be 
traced those of the hyena, the fox, the wolf, 
and wild boar), have also been found in 
the limestone caves of Keat’s Hole, near 
Plymouth: they were discovered by T. 
Northmore, Esq., during some geological 
researches. An early report on the subject 
from the Geological Society, as an investi- 
gation of théir species, has been undertaken 
by Mr. ‘Buckland, of Oxford, and other 
gentlemen. 
Extract of Digitalis,—The essential mat- 
ter of this powerful plant has been obtained 
in a very concentrated state by M. Royer, 
Bib. Uniy., by digesting the dried plant in 
ether, then filtering and evaporating the 
solution, re-dissolving the residue in water, 
and treating the solution with oxyde of lead, 
again digested in ether, and evaporated. It 
presented a brown substance, intensely bit- 
ter, and very deliquescent, and difficult to 
crystallize. The sedative properties of this 
substance was so powerful, that a grain dis- 
solyed in 200 grains of water, and thrown 
into the abdomen of a rabbit, speedily dimi- 
nished the circulation, and the animal died 
without evincing pain, or any spasmodic 
action, though the nerves of a rabbit are 
very easily excited. Half a grain, dissolved 
in water, was also injected into the veins of 
a cat, producing death in the short space of 
fifteen minutes. A'grain and a half in- 
serted into the jugular vein of a dog pro- 
duced death in five minutes. The arterial 
blood of all the animals exhibited the dele- 
terious agency of the medicine, both in 
colour and consistence. 
New operation on Urinary Calculi.—The 
Ann. de Chemie contains a report from M. 
Percy, of the following operation for break- 
ing down and expelling calculi :—A straight 
sound, made of silver, containing a smaller 
sound sliding within it. The smaller sound 
near its inner extremity is divided into three 
arms, which spring open when they pass 
through the end of the exterior sound, form- 
ing a kind of spring forceps. Through the 
inner tube, a steel rod, having a saw, a file, 
or a knife, at the extremity, is made to slide 
with ease. The instrument being inserted 
through the urethra into the bladder, the 
inner sound is moyed about until the for- 
ceps grasps a portion of caleulus ; when the 
operator, by partially withdrawing the inner 
sound, closes the forceps firraly on the stone ; 
in which situation, the saw, drill, or file is 
made to act on it until it becomes broken 
down in smaller pieces—the fragments of 
which are subsequently’ ejected by the urine, 
aided by a copious injection of warm water 
to facilitate the discharge. Although there 
must be considerable delicacy required, and 
some degree of hazard attending this mode 
of operating, yet M. Percy relates three 
cases, in which it was attended with com- 
plete suecess. ‘The first, a man thirty-two 
Spirit of Philosophical Discovery. 
[ Nov. I, 
years of age, underwent the operation three 
times before the stone was completely re- 
moved, and was. so little incommoded, as 
to be capable of walking to, the house of the 
operator. The second instance-——a small 
stone, was broken downand ejected, leaving 
for its nucleus “a white kidney-bean !”” 
In the third case, a stone as large as a 
pigeon’s. egg, was completely broken down, 
and discharged. 
Prize Questions proposed, by, the Royal 
Academy of Sciences, Paris. —To determine, 
by a series. of physiological and, chemical 
experiments, what are the progressive phe- 
nomena resulting from the action of the 
digestive organs on food... The prize for the 
best essay, a gold medal, 3,000 franes value : 
period for adjudication, June 1825. The 
same premium for. determining the density, 
by accurate’experiment, which various 
liquids acquire by pressure, and specifying 
the heat evolved during the compression of 
such fluids. A prize of 300 franes for the 
best essay on the comparative anatomy of 
fish and reptiles, the species to be at the 
discretion of the candidate. Several prizes 
are also offered for the encouragement of 
travels, and dissertations on the varieties of 
the human race. 
Comparative Anatomy. — Sir Everard 
Home, in the Croonian Lecture, read du- 
ring the late sittings of the Royal Society, 
while describing the comparative yolume of 
the brain in the human. subject, and the 
lower orders of the animal kingdom, states, 
“ that among the insect. tribe, the humble 
bee has the largest brain in proportion. to 
its size. In the moth, caterpillar, lobster, 
and earthworm, the structure of, the, brain 
and medullary substance is similar to that 
of the bee. In the garden-snail the, brain 
is larger in proportion. to, the ‘size \of the 
animal.than in the bee; but the bee jis also 
furnished with ganglions, which: isnot the 
case with the snail. Sir E. observes, that 
in all the variety of animals, he, examined, 
the brain forms a distinct organ; though in 
some insects, scarcely yisible to the naked 
eye; that there is, also at some: distance 
from the brain a second substance:of similar 
structure connected with the brain by two 
lateral chords from whence the, nerves 
branch off to the different. nuseular struc- 
tures of the body. The ganglions, which 
form a chain so beautifully connected to- 
gether by a double nerve, must be consider- 
ed to have the same usesas the/ganglions ~ 
in the human body, being equally composed 
of a congeries of nerves.”’.. These facts, if 
allowed to be clearly developed, form an 
addition to our knowledge;: and) give ;con- 
firmation to opinions not before natsalgctorily 
established. 
Production of water in RemirahotnsThe 
source of the water produced by the func- 
tion of respiration having often: formed a 
subject of dispute among physiological \in- 
quirers, two Italian physicians), Drs:,Paoli 
and Regnioli,.have lately made.aiseries of 
experiments 
