OUTLINES OK PERIODICAL L1TEHATUHE. 



349 



-and he regards anatomy, when aided by every character which the manner 

 of propagation, the progressive changes and other physiological data supply, 

 as the only sure basis of classification. 3. Mr. Newman sets forth a few 

 remarks on the Antennae of Insects, in relation to the theory that these 

 appendages are analagous to the ears of higher animals. He shows how we 

 conclude not only rationally but inevitably, that mice, hares, and other ani- 

 mals remarkable for the acutenesa of their hearing, are indebted for that very 

 acuteness to the extraordinary developement of the external portion of their 

 auditorv instrument—a conclusion which supports or confirms the funda- 

 mental 'physiological principle, that the size of an organ is the chief measure 

 of its power. He proves also, that the supposed auditory faculty of the an- 

 tenna; is nothing more than a vague and wild theory, unsupported by rea - 

 son, analogy, or facts. 4. Mr. Ogilby favours us with further observations 

 on rules for nomenclature, and he concludes an erudite and " poluphlosboio- 

 phanous" lucubration with the ominous announcement, that he has now done 

 with codes and codification. 5. Mr. Clarke writes a letter on the non- 

 identity of Suffolk diluvium and crag, and he promises future illustrations. 

 For short communications, you have an account of the capture of the Hali- 

 aetus arbicilla or white-tailed eagle, at the mouth of the river Orwell, on the 

 Suffolk coast ; a note on the locality of Brockite ; and observations on the 

 probable cause of the death of parrots and other birds confined in cages, 

 with the necrotomical inspection of a cockatoo whose death was sudden. 



XVIII.— Mr. Heysham advances some observations on the habits of the 

 Charadrius morinelliis, or dottrel, made in Cumberland during the summer 

 of 1835 ; and, from the results of his own experience, he is convinced that 

 this bird is not only a regular summer visitant, but annually builds on the 

 Cumbrian mountains. 2. Dr. Weissenborn concludes his essay on the influ- 

 ence of man in modifying the zoological features of the globe, with his farther 

 account of the ure-ox and its physiology. 3. His new arrangement of inses- 

 sorial birds is continued by Mr. Blyth, and you will admire, as well as be 

 instructed by, the outlines of his essay to accelerate the progress of scienti- 

 fic ornithology. 4. In a monograph of the genus Semnopithecus, Mr- 

 Martin endeavours to distinguish and fix its characters. 5. In his additional 

 remarks on rules for nomenclatare, you find Mr. Strickland discussing these 

 important questions— the retrospective operation of rules; the terminations 

 in idas and adUe ; the real signification of the word Simla ; the etymological 

 meaning of names ; the distinction between absolute and relative characters ; 

 the signification ot the word type ; and on euphony : how glorious as gladia- 

 tors, are these nomenclaturists with their altisonant weapons. 6. Mr. 

 Skaife contributes some miscellaneous ornithological notes, and his subjects 

 are the smew, white partridge, stormy petrel, pomarine gull, red-breasted 

 merganser, wild swan, and Canada goose, which he seems inclined to rank 

 among the "Birds of Europe." As scientific intelligence, the recent tran- 

 sactions of the Zoological Society are detailed ; Mr. Newman's description ol 

 twenty-one new species of Popillia are enumerated ; and the proceedings at 

 meetings of the friends of natural history at Berlin are recorded in the form 

 of historical notices. You have short communications on the Cicindela hij- 

 hruln and the Cuscuta tpUtnum ; on improvements in the microscope ; on the 

 bones of mammalia in the crag; on woodcocks breeding in Ko-ss-shirc ; on 

 docility in a rook ; and on a new method of setting-up Babes. 



