356 Chronicles of Science. | April, 
prize in Experimental Physiology, which was given to M. Moreau, for 
a work “On the Air-bladder of Fishes,” while a second was given to 
MM. Philippeaux and Vulpian, for some “ Researches on the Reunion, 
end to end, of Nervous Sensitive Fibres with Nervous Motor Fibres.” 
The second Bourdin prize was unanimously awarded to M. Lacaze 
Duthiers, for his anatomical and physiological history of coral, and 
other zoophytes. 
The practice of vivisection in Paris, which has received so much 
public notice of late, has recently been brought before the French 
Institute. It will be recollected that a visit was made to the Veteri- 
nary College at Alfort, by delegates from the English Society for the 
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the adhesion of the Director of 
that Institution, so notorious for its torturing practices, was secured. 
The Emperor also promised the deputation that he would institute a 
scientific commission into the subject, and that promise he has kept, 
though the result appears not to have been unmixed good. M. Robin, 
formerly an opponent, has become a violent partisan of the practice of 
vivisection. In anticipation of the struggle about to take place 
between the advocates of the two systems, a regular correspondence 
has been opened between the different Academies of Europe, and the 
opinions of scientific men of all countries are eagerly collected. The 
first communication, recently made to the Institute, was from Pro- 
fessor Lusana, of Pisa, who described the processes by which he had 
succeeded in extracting the pneumo-gastric nerve from dogs and rab- 
bits, after numerous attempts. The result of this frightful operation 
appears to be that the victim becomes insensible to the strongest 
poisons, and that even strychnine may be introduced into the stomach 
with impunity. But however curious and interesting this fact may be 
to the physiologist, we cannot see that any very practical results may 
be drawn from it ; and we trust that the more humane physiologists 
who engage in the controversy, may not be dazzled by the spurious 
brilliancy of such a discovery into the reprehensible practice of sys- 
tematic torture of dumb animals. 
The period of gestation of certain animals of the class of Rumi- 
nants, which habitually breed in the Zoological Society's menagerie, 
has been ascertained with tolerable exactness by Dr. Sclater, the 
Secretary. Of course the period is slightly variable, but the times given 
in the following list are, on the average, very faithfully adhered to. 
Fam. Cervide.—The following have a period of eight months: 
Wapiti Deer (Cervus Canadensis), Persian Deer (C. Wallichii), 
Barasingha Deer (C. Duvaucelii), Japanese Deer (C. Sika), Sambur 
Deer (C. Aristotelis), Rusa Deer (C. Rusa), Hog Deer (C. porcinus), 
Axis Deer (C. Axis). 
Fam. Camelide.—Llama (Auchenia glama), and Alpaca (A. pacos), 
both havea period of eleven months. 
Fam. Oamelopardide.—Giraffe (Camelopardalis giraffa), fifteen 
months. 
Fam. Bovide.— Punjaub wild sheep (Ovis cycloceros), and 
Moufflon (O. Musimon), each four months; Leucoryx (Oyx leu- 
