xn 



Dr. B. Le Juge read an interesting paper on the nature 

 and eflPect of the wound caused by the sting of the Synan- 

 ceia brachiata Cuv. known to fishermen under the name 

 of Laffe. * 



Several dissections of the fish and particularly its fins 

 have led the Doctor to the discavery of an important fact^ 

 viz : the existence at the base of the dorsal fins^ each pro- 

 vided with two longitudinal grooves^ of an ovoid vesicle 

 adhering to the spine, and containing a whitish liquid 

 which Dr. Le Juge believes to be the venom which renders 

 the sting of this, fish so dreaded, being often fatal when 

 immediate assistance is not at hand. 



When the fish is irritated by any contact or pressure, 

 its stings, which are grooved on each side, rise, and from 

 the extremities, a jet of this liquid is expelled with a certain 

 force. It is the poison that causes the excruciating pain, 

 which is not produced by the wound itself. 



Dr. Le Juge makes some remarks on the remedies which 

 are used by the fishermen, amongst others a plant which 

 grows in the sand on the sea shore in certain parts, and 

 is described in the Prodromus of Decandolle as the Mi- 

 crorhrynchus Sarmentosus. 



The fishermen declare that they have several times made 

 use of this plant with great success in very serious cases. 

 It is pounded and applied to the wound. 



Mr. Bartlett junior has presented to the Society a mag» 

 nificient skeleton of the Euplectella Speciosa. Gray. 



The remarks of Quoy and Gaimard on this fine speci- 

 men of Sponge are very correct — " When we consider," 

 " they say, " the elegant whiteness of such a tissue, we 

 " can hardly bring ourselves to believe that it is the work 

 " of a collection of animals. We would prefer to suppose, 

 " a single one, working at the bottom of the sea to form 



* Synanceia Verrucosa Gtint. 



