1817.] Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 229 
Talitrus. His generic character shows that he is not acquainted 
with the characters of the sexes which he has seen, as he describes 
the colour of the eggs of the female, and takes his generic cha- 
racter from the male only. His first species, to which the above 
remark is applicable, belongs to the genus orcheséia. (Leach.) 
Caprella punctata, 130, appears to be a new animal, and cannot 
belong to the genus to which he has referred it. 
Idotea penicillata, 137, pl. 3, f. 10, is undoubtedly a new and 
very interesting species, but not referable to the genus idotea. It 
is more allied to the genus anthura, Trans. Linn. Soc. xi. 366. 
Bopyrus, a parasitical genus, that insinuates itself beneath the 
sides of the thorax of the prawn, he has very properly referred to 
the family asellotes. It has been placed in various parts of the 
system of animals by different zoologists. 
Ergyne cervicornis, 130, pl. 3, f. 12, a new and extraordinary 
genus, having four antenne long and plumose. The body is de- 
pressed. ‘The male is very small, and may always be found attached, 
beneath the tail of the female. 
Cyamus imbricatus is the same with anthosoma smithii (Leach), 
Suppl. Encycl, i. pl. 20. But this synonym could not have been 
determined, had we not seen a specimen sent by Risso to Latreille. 
In the appendix, awtonomea, a new genus comprehending 
cancer gluber, Oliv. Zool. Adriat. pl. 3, f. 4, is given. 
The system followed by this author is artificial, and his genera 
are for the most part artificial. It contains, however, abundance of 
valuable information on the economy of the species, which he has 
had an opportunity to examine in their native element, and will 
tend very materially to render our knowledge of this part of 
zoology more perfect and interesting. 
ARTICLE X. 
Proceedings of Philosophical Societies, 
ROYAL SOCIETY. 
On Thursday, Feb. 6, a paper by Mr. Edmond Davy, Professor 
of Chemistry to the Cork Institution, was read, on Fulminating 
Platinum. This new compound was prepared in the following 
manner :—Platinum reduced by exposing ammonio-muriate toa 
red heat was dissolved in nitro-muriatic acid, the solution was eva- 
porated to dryness, re-dissolved in water, and the platinum precipi- 
tated in the state of sulphuret by passing a current of sulphureted 
hydrogen gas through the liquid, This sulphuret was digested in 
nitric acid till it was converted into sulphate of platinum. A little 
ammonia being poured into the liquid sulphate of platinum, a 
precipitate fell, which, being separated and washed, was put into a 
