of Sciences of the Institute of France, 339 



are of a different conformation, and because the seed is suspended 

 at the top of the cavity of the oveary. From the dypsaci, again^ 

 they differ in having their anthers united at the bottom, and in 

 the alternation of their leaves. Most of their other characters, 

 however, they possess in common with these two classes. M. de 

 Cassini has hence been led to think that a distinct family might 

 be formed, which would serve in place of two others; and this he 

 has designated by tlie name of Boopidees. These will compre- 

 hend the genera calycera de cavanilles, loopis and lacicarpha of 

 M. de Jussieu. 



We announced last year the opinion of M. Decandolle uport 

 that pernicious substance called ergot, which shows itself in the 

 ears of rye and some other grains, especially in wet seasons. 

 In the course of the year IS 16, M. Virey has iriade some re- 

 searches, which lead him to regard ergot as a degenerescence of 

 grain, and not as afungUs of the genus sclerotium, as M. Decan- 

 dolle believes. He says he has observed ergotized grains which 

 had not only preserved their natural form, but in which one might 

 still see remains of stigmas ; and he cites the assertion of 

 M. Tessier, that many ears of grain have been observed which 

 were only half-ergotized, and that equally towards the top as to- 

 wards the bottom. 



M. Vauquelin has made on this occasion a comparative ana- 

 lysis of sound rye, of the ergot of rye, and of a sclerotium per- 

 fectly recognised as such. In the ergot he found neither starch 

 nor gluten in their natural state, but a mucous substance and a 

 vegeto-animal matter, abundant and inclining to putrefaction. 

 It contains a fixed oil quite developed. The principles of scle- 

 rotium are altogether different. Without being decisive, these 

 experiments have led some persons to doubt with M. Virey 

 whether ergot be of the tribe of fungi. 



Zoology, Anatomy, and Animal Physiology. ' 



Animals have also their geography: for Nature in like manner 

 retains every species within certain limits, by lines more or less 

 analogous to those which restrict the extension of vegetables. 



Zimmermann has already given, upon the distribution of qua- 

 drupeds, a work which is of some celebrity. 



Latreille has since published one upon that of insects. Dif- 

 ferences of from ten to twelve degrees of latitude produce always 

 at an equal height particular insects; and when the difference 

 reaches to from twenty to twenty-four degrees, nearly all tlie in- 

 sects are different. Analogous changes have been observed cor- 

 responding to the longitude, but at distances much more consi- 

 derable. 



The old and the new worlds have kinds of insects peculiar to 

 Y 2 «'icl' } 



