96 Miscellaneous. 



remains of the moults in places inhabited by the Gamasidre, as we do 

 in those frequented by species of Tgroghjphus, Psoroptes, &c. 



After the last moult the form acquired is unchangeable, and 

 broken limbs are not renewed. I have often met with adult 

 Gamasidae, especially males, having one of the posterior legs broken ; 

 but the stump, formed then by the trochanter, never bore any trace 

 of renovation such as we see in the crayfish. — Comptes Rendus, 

 June 8th, 1874, pp. 1657-1G60. 



Observations on the Fecundation of the Batrachia Urodela. 

 By M. C. Robin. 



I have the honour to communicate to the Academy the results of 

 a series of observations proving that in the oviparous Batrachia Uro- 

 dela (Siredon, Triton alpestris, pahnatus, cristattis, abdominalis, or 

 punctatus) the fecundation is internal, as in the viviparous Urodela, 

 and not external, as in the Anura= The ova at the moment of de- 

 position and even in the cloaca are fecundated ; that is to say, they 

 contain spermatozoids which have penetrated between the vitelline 

 membrane and the vitellus. On opening the females during ovipo- 

 sition we find spermatozoids in the cloaca and at 3 or 4 millimetres 

 up the oviducts. They are also found in pregnant females not en- 

 gaged in oviposition and the oviducts of which do not even contain 

 eggs coming from the ovary ; this fact shows that the intromission of 

 the semen takes place some days before the commencement of the 

 oviposition. Thus when expelled artificially, or deposited by females 

 separated from the males, the eggs become segmented at from 4 to 

 16 hours after their escape, and are developed like those deposited 

 quite independently of all experimental conditions. 



The male axolotl introduces his spermatozoids in bundles forming 

 a small, solid, white mass 2 or 3 millimetres in thickness, sur- 

 mounted by a conoidal transparent mass about 1 centimetre in length 

 and thickness, composed of small, cell-like, hyaline bodies; the whole 

 forms a sort of spermatophore, which sometimes, not penetrating into 

 the cloaca of the female, falls and floats in the water. — Comptes 

 Eendus, May 4, 1874, p. 1254. 



The Large Seal (Halichcerus grypus) in Cornwall. 



There is little doubt that this seal inhabits the north coast of 

 Cornwall. Mr. R. .N". Worth, of Plymouth, informs me that " the 

 seals there are of a large size, and at times they are even abundant, 

 and have favourite caverns which they seem to haunt." It has not 

 before been recorded as occurring so far south. — J. E. Gray. 



