Miscellanies. 189 
that the two halves of the skin, thus completely divided, continued to 
recede further and further from the centre, and became folded and 
rugose; and after a short space, by means of the continued twitching 
of the animal’s body, it was brought down in folds on the sides. The 
hinder leg, first on one side and then on the other, was brought for- 
ward under the arm, which was pressed down uponit, and on the hind- 
er limb being withdrawn, its cuticle was left inverted under the arms, 
and that of the anterior extremity was now loosened, and at length 
drawn off by the assistance of the mouth. The whole cuticle was 
thus detached, and was now pushed by the two hands into the mouth 
in a little ball, and swallowed at a single gulp.” 
Four species of Salamandride are described in the volume before 
us. The history of the Triton cristatus, common water-newt, is 
very elaborate; our author has carefully made the same observations 
as Rusconi, and adds his testimony to the value of that writer’s inves- 
tigations with regard to the development of this species. We are 
here told, that Spallanzani supposed that the eggs when deposited, 
fell at once to the bottom of the water, and that “ Cuvier asserts, that 
they are produced by several ata time, attached to each other like 
beads.” Now, although Rusconi first published an accurate account 
of this process, our author had several times personally observed it 
before he was acquainted with Rusconi’s book. It appears that the 
egg, instead of being carelessly dropped, is most curiously guarded. 
‘The female, selecting some leaf of an aquatic plant, sits, as it were, 
upon its edge, and folding it by means of her two hinder feet, deposits 
a single egg in the duplicature of the folded part of the leaf, which 
is thereby glued most securely together, and the egg is thus effectu- 
ally protected from injury.””* 
The wood cuts accompanying the descriptions are graphic he ex- 
cellent; the vignettes so liberally distributed throughout the volume, 
must enhance its value with general readers: 2s is 
In conclusion, we would recommend all who have th 
for herpetology, to study this volume; and when again confined to 
our chamber by indisposition, may we have the good fortune to meet 
with a production of the “Professor of Zoology, King’s College, 
London.” 
17. Association of American Geologists. 
At a meeting held at the rooms of the Franklin Institute in the city 
of Philadelphia, on the 2d of April, 1840, the following gentlemen 
were present, viz. 
2 alee abstract of Rusconi’s memoir on the “ natural history and structure of the 
amander,” with an illustrative plate, may be found in No. xvi of the 
823. 
. «Edinburgh Philosophical Journal” for 
