Miscellaneous. 511 
broken and half-decayed oyster and scallop-shells, &c. It usually ex- 
ists in groups or families, varying from three to four to a great many. 
The long delicate stem, which is horny-looking and highly elastic 
when dry, varies from the thickness of a knitting-wire to that of a 
crow-quill, and from its mineralized and root-like attachment, tapers 
gradually and gracefully to the beautiful acicular point, attaining not 
unfrequently a length of two or three feet, and having its entire sur- 
face covered with a calcareous coat of a cream-yellow colour, deli- 
cately annulated, so as much to resemble the fine string of wooden 
beads worn as a necklace by the poorer natives of Bengal, but with 
this difference,—that in the coralline the beads form a connected or 
rather continuous chain, independently of the delicate elastic centre 
upon which the mineral structure is deposited. I am informed that 
in one or two instances, when these corallines were procured, they 
were enveloped throughout with a mucilaginous or jelly-like substance, 
which when they become dry is exsiccated and shriveled to such a 
degree as to be scarcely if at all traceable. You will be able to say 
whether you consider it likely that there exists, in the recent and living 
state of the zoophyte, such an external and soft organization.” 
This jelly-like substance was doubtless the polypes.—From the 
Proceedings of the Zoological Society for Nov. 27, 1849. 
YELLOW RAIN.—DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 
To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 
The Willows, Swansea, May 21st, 1850. 
GeNTLEMEN,—If the following extract from my note-book is worthy 
of insertion, as likely to interest your readers, or to add one more fact 
towards the elucidation of the still vexed question of the distribution 
of plants, it is at your service. 
*1850, April 17. Yellow rain fell at the Mumbles at 11 a.m. ; 
leaving spots like ochre. Wind S.W. Weather fine. No clouds. 
Greenhouse roofs, evergreens, and parties who were out of doors, 
sprinkled over with spots of the above colour, which are found in my 
garden here (5 miles N. of the Mumbles), at Penclawd (7 miles N.W.), 
and at many intermediate places. 
“May 11. Notwithstanding the marked changes in the weather, 
including very heavy rain, many spots still remain, some not much 
changed in colour. They are perceptible to the finger, and with a 
lens show a globular structure: the 1-inch shows oval, boat-shaped 
and round echinulated substances. 
“May 12. Letter from one of our most acute observers, Mr. 
Berkeley, to whom I had sent specimens :— , 
“The yellow spots consist principally of pollen-grains, probably 
those of some Saliz..... I believe that there are three bands as 
seen from above, and a single one when the grains are seen laterally, 
which agrees with Salim. .... I find also traces of fungi among 
the grains, but cannot tell exactly what species. 
“May 21. Most of the spots at the Mumbles faded, but some 
still yellow.” MatrHew Mocerince. 
