Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 67 



where it proves very destructive to the potatoes (So- 

 latium tuberosum), and to many other useful vegeta- 

 bles. It seems not to be described by any naturalist. 



5. The Sorex minutissimus of Zimmermann has 

 been discovered in the ?nz/w-Missisippi part of the 

 United- States, in the country that is watered by the 

 Missouri. It is the smallest known species of the 

 family of mammalia, and is one of those animals that 

 are common to Asia and to America. The discovery 

 of this little quadruped seems to furnish a new argu- 

 ment in favour of the theory, that the continents of 

 North-America and Asia were once united to each 

 other : a theory that is supported by many very im- 

 pressive facts. 



6. A new species of Sorex has been discovered in 

 the vicinity of Philadelphia. It may be called the 

 Black Shrew, and, like some of the other specie's of 

 the genus, emits an extremely fetid odour from its 



body. 



Ornithology. 



7. A species of Plotus, very nearly allied to the 

 Plotus melanogaster of Linnaeus, is sometimes seen 



