Acta Academic? Naturae Curiosorum. 165 



horse, to the rankness or strength of the pasture on which the animal 

 feeds, and to the comparative humidity of the climate. The forehead 

 is said to be broader in the argalis than in the sheep, but this may be a 

 deception; it is, however, evident that the orbits are more projecting, 

 and, consequently, that there is a wider range of vision ; but this occurs 

 in many varieties of dogs (as the fox terrier,) without our viewing them 

 as distinct species. The extreme vigilance required on the part of the 

 argalis to guard against its numerous enemies, may have necessitated 

 this structure, which, in the domestic sheep has gradually become less 

 distinct. Upon the whole, we are disposed to think Tilesius right in 

 the views he has adopted relative to the argalis, though there is but lit- 

 tle which may be called novel in his Memoir. 



We shall speak of but two memoirs more contained in this volume : 

 the first of these is by Carus, and is entitled, " Icones Sepiarum in Lit- 

 tore Maris Mediterranei Collectarum ;" these engravings are very beau- 

 tifully executed. He takes notice of the remarkable coloured points vi- 

 sible on the integuments of the cuttle-fish, which contract and dilate al- 

 ternately, as if possessing a certain degree of pulsation : these contrac- 

 tions and dilatations cease shortly after life becomes extinct. Though 

 these coloured points may possibly have been long ago noticed by many 

 naturalists, it seems to us that they were first described by De Blain- 

 ville ; some time afterwards Carus, and finally Sangiovanni, in the Gior- 

 nale Encyclopedia di Napoli, an. xiii. No. 9. redescribed this system of 

 coloration, and offered explanations of the phenomena any thing but 

 satisfactory. The writer of this notice observed these pulsating points 

 in the skin of the cuttle-fish in 1821, with the same want of success, 

 as to a correct theory of their true nature ; the aid of the microscope was 

 not neglected. 



The last memoir is one by Rosenthal on the branches which form the 

 Vena magna galeni, and on the veins of the brain geuerally. (K.) 



Art. XXIX.— NOTICES OF RECENTLY PUBLISHED 

 PERIODICAL BOTANICAL WORKS. 



Botanical Magazine for September, No. 452. 



Tab. 2509. Azalea indica, var. /3. plena, a state of the plant far inferior, 

 in our opinion, to the common one. t. 2510, Ornithogalum Narbonense, 

 a native of the South of Europe, t. 2511, Bellis sylvestris, an inhabit- 

 ant of Portugal and Spain. We have received the same plant from our 

 excellent correspondent, Mr. Bentham, from about Montpellier. t. 2512, 

 Coreopsis tinctoria of Mr. Nuttall, who found this beautiful and most 

 desirable species in the Arkansa territory. In the Glasgow Botanic 

 Garden we have cultivated it in the open air, where it bears incompara- 

 bly finer flowers than in the green-house, t. 2513, Monarda Russdli- 

 ana, first mentioned by Mr. Nuttall, and named in honour of his friend, 

 Dr. Russell, in his travels in the Arkansa territory. Raised by Mr. 

 Barclay of Buryhill, as well as by ourselves in the Glasgow garden. 



