528 Scientific and General. Memoranda. 



1st of June, 1832 ; it is to be published quarterly until com- 

 pleted. Each quarterly number is to contain twenty plates, im- 

 perial folio ; fifteen of which are to be descriptive of British 

 birds, and five of birds of the European continent. Price to 

 subscribers of each part, paid on delivery, three pounds sterling. 



A Ma7iual of the Land and Fresh-ioater Shells of the British 

 Islands, with coloured Plates of every Species. — This is the title of 

 a work lately published by Dr. Turton, author of the Concho- 

 logical Dictionary. Collectors of land and fresh-water shells 

 will receive great assistance from this beautiful and accurate 

 volume, in the arrangement of their shells. It is to be regret- 

 ted, however, that it tends to continue the delusion about these 

 testaceous coverings, as if their beauty and scarcity were the 

 main objects of the study; and not the structure, faculties, and 

 habits of the animals that lived in them. 



The Tail of the Caterpillar becomes the Head of the BiMcrfly. — 

 A writer in a late number of the Magazine of Natural History, 

 observes, " I have lately observed a curious fact, which I have 

 never seen noticed in any book, that it is the tail of the caterpil- 

 lar which becomes the head of the butterfly. I found it hard 

 to believe, until I had convinced myself of it, in a number of in- 

 stances. The caterpillar weaves its web from its mouth, finishes 

 with the head downwards, and the head, with the six front legs, 

 are thrown off from the chrysalis, and may be found dried up, 

 but quite distinguishable, at the bottom of the web. The but- 

 terfly comes out at the top. Is this fact generally known ?" 



Discovery of a Reef in the Pacific, — A dangerous reef has been 

 discovered in the Pacific ocean, among the Caroline Islands, the 

 N. E. extremity of which is in latitude 7° 36' N. and longi- 

 tude 155° 18' E. It was found to lie in a N. E. and S, W. di- 

 rection, and is so extensive, that the whole of it could not be 

 seen from the N. E. extremity. It is about fourteen miles in a 

 W. S. W. direction from Island Bordelaise, discovered in 1826. 

 The discovery is due to the ship Larkins, VV. Campbell, master; 

 and, as here given, is extracted fi'om her log, bearing date 23d 

 February, 1830. — Jour. Royal Geo. Soc. of Londm, 1830-31. 



