7ft Miscellaneous. 



In Prussia may be mentioned the splendid Symbolse Physicae of 

 Ehrenberg and Hemprich, the insects of which were edited by Dr. 

 King ; and in Russia, the Oryctographie du Gouvernement de Mos- 

 cou, the Entomology of the Trans-Caucasian Regions, and of the 

 Embassy to North China. 



It is not, however, in these great states alone that we find this 

 fostering care of science, for the national works undertaken by the 

 Dutch are not behind the majority of those mentioned above. The 

 Fauna Japonica of Siebold, assisted by Temminck, Schlegel and 

 De Haan, " jussu et auspiciis superiorum qui summum in India Ba- 

 tava. imperium tenent," would do honour to any country. And we 

 have now the commencement of a similar work on the Natural Hi- 

 story of the Dutch Settlements in India, in large folio ; the third 

 part of which is devoted to a complete illustration of the Indian spe- 

 cies of the modem genus Papilio, occupying nine plates, with de- 

 scriptions by De Haan. The title of the work is as follows : ' Ver- 

 handelingen over de Natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche 

 Overzeesche Bezittingen door de laden der Natuurkundige Com- 

 missie in Oost-Indie en andere Schrijvens.' — Leiden, 1840. 



In addition to illustrations of numerous previously-described spe- 

 cies, of which various beautiful varieties are represented, one plate 

 is devoted to an elaborate series of anatomical details of the genera 

 composing the modern family Papilionidce, in which we find the cha- 

 racters afforded by the variations in the male organs of generation, 

 and the veining of the wings, to be extensively employed. There is 

 also a considerable number of new species figured, one of which is 

 closely allied to the splendid Priamus, which it even exceeds in 

 beauty. 



Having illustrated in the present number of this work two new 

 additional species of Papilio from the same quarter of the globe, I 

 thought it a fit opportunity to notice this new work, which adds 

 fresh fame to the name of its talented author, Vv'hilst the circum- 

 stances under which it has appeared naturally led to the foregoing 

 remarks. — From the third number of the ' Arcana Entomologica.' By 

 J. 0. Westwood.F.L.S., 8^c. 



[We may here with much propriety refer to the service wliich has just 

 been rendered to science by the legislative assembly of Massachusetts in 

 voting funds for a Zoological survey of tlie State territory. — Ed.] 



NOTE ON PHOSPHORESCENCE. 



It appears to me that a general rule might be laid down with re- 

 spect to the phosphorescence of marine animals, which, if it holds 

 good in experience (which has as yet taught nothing which I am 

 aware of to subvert its accuracy), at once determines to a great extent, 

 without further trouble or investigation, what are the animals pos- 

 sessed of luminous properties. I believe that it will be found that 

 all the transparent and gelatinous inhabitants of the deep are capable 

 of emitting a phosphorescent hght as well as many others, which, it 

 must be admitted, are not transparent and gelatinous in their struc- 

 ture. — Arthur Hassall. 



Cheshunt; Herts, Jan. 3, 1842. 



