<^02 Scientific Intelligence. — Zoology. 



about this time that MM. Fleury and Chaussier, and Breschet, 

 discovered the veins of bones. For the first time veins were seen 

 penetrating the diploe, under the form of canals, with osseous 

 walls, equally incapable of dilatation, contraction, or change of 

 place. It was discovered that the blood could circulate in these 

 canals, wthout the aid of the action of their sides, but solely by 

 the impulsion of the arterial blood into that of the veins, or by 

 a kind of inherent power of absorption of this latter order of 

 vessels. The veins of the flat bones of the cranium, of the 

 shoulders, and of the pelvis, those of the ends of the principal 

 long bones, were alone only known at that time, so that much 

 remained to be discovered. Such was the state of the subject 

 when Breschet resumed researches which had been abandoned 

 for a long time. Breschet has confirmed all previous observa- 

 tions, and traced veins through all the other bones in which they 

 had not been detected. His investigations have made us almost 

 as completely acquainted with the veins of the bones as we are 

 with the arteries of the bones. But Breschet has not confined 

 his researches to the veins of the bones; he has extended them 

 to the veins which serve to co-ordinate the first to the general 

 venous system. Here we place his researches into the veins of 

 the interior surface of the brain, of the surface and interior of 

 the rachis, — labours which alone would have conferred high 

 distinction on many anatomists. Such is a general statement of 

 the facts and discoveries which form the basis of this very ori- 

 o-inal work, now in the progress of pubhcation. 



28. Cross of the Anas clangula and Mergus albellus. — In- 

 spector Einibeck of Brunswick exhibited, at the meeting of 

 naturalists ni Berlin, a bird, which appears intermediate between 

 the Anas clangula and Mergiis albellus. Some of the natural- 

 ists present were disposed to consider it a cross of the two species 

 others to view it as a distinct species. It was shot in the sum- 

 mer of 1828, near to Brunswick. 



29. Remarkable Birth. — A few days ago, a poor man's wife 

 at Rowdle was ccnifined, and attended by Dr Clark. She had 

 three children : the first natural ; the second had four hands and 

 four feet. The woman and infants are all dead. The third 

 died before the birth. — Extracted from letter from Alexander 



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