Miscellaneous. 317 
may perhaps be due to their not having examined the same spe- 
cies. 
The lateral vagine present no trace of distention, and there is 
nothing to indicate that they have served for the passage of the 
foetus. They do not appear to have been of any other use than to 
receive the semen at the moment of copulation and to convey it to 
the neck of the uterus. They would thus merit the name of sper- 
matophorous vagine, whilst the median vagina would be an embryo- 
phorous vagina. ‘This opinion is confirmed by an interesting fact— 
namely, that the median vagina is covered with a pavement-epithe- 
lium, while the lateral vaginze are clothed with a cylinder-epithelium. 
From these facts it follows that the issue of the embryo does not 
in this case present that slowness which was ascribed to it by the 
opponents of Sir Everard Home; but it must not be supposed that 
the prevision of nature can be at fault ; it has made up for this by 
the instinct of the mother. M. Jules Verreaux, during his residence 
in Australia, possessed a considerable number of Kangaroos, which 
he kept in confinement. By attentively watching them day and 
night, he succeeded in ascertaining the secret of their parturition. 
When the female feels that she is about to expel an embryo, she 
applies her two fore feet to each side of the vulva in such a manner 
as to separate its labia; she then introduces her muzzle into the 
vestibule and receives the embryo in her mouth. The fore feet are 
then at once removed to the margins of the marsupium in such a 
manner as to dilate its aperture; the head is passed into the pouch 
and deposits the embryo there. In a few moments it is attached to 
the teat. Messrs. Owen and Bennett had a suspicion of these facts ; 
but the honour of the discovery is due to M. Jules Verreaux.— 
Comptes Rendus, January 15, 1866, pp. 146-148. 
Descriptions of Twenty-one new Fishes from Port Jackson, and 
One from Port Natal. By Dr. F. Srernpacuner. 
Dr. Steindachner has communicated to the Vienna Academy a 
paper on the Fishes of Port Jackson, in which he refers to sixty-six 
species. He describes the following as new :— 
1. Plectropoma myriaster.—Body and fins densely covered with 
small round spots; length of head contained 2,/;-24 times, and 
depth of body 3 times, in the total length; caudal fin slightly 
rounded off. 
D. 13/14-15; A. 3/8; L. lat. c. 100. 
2. Dules novemaculeatus.—Dorsal with nine spines. 
D. 9/10; A. 3/7-8; L. lat. 49-50. 
3. Scorpis Richardsonii.—Profile of head concave ; diameter of 
eye = j length of head. 
4, Scorpena Jacksoniensis,—A milk-white spot upon and below 
