Miscellaneous. 221 



nest is necessary to enable her and her mate to defend it against 

 rapacious birds. Probably the raven, the buzzard, and the kite, may 

 be all disposed to make unfriendly visits, wherever their race has not 

 been exterminated bj pitiless gamekeepers. But it is evident that the 

 tawny owl is a formidable enemy. The reluctance of the rook to 

 build out of society may also be better understood, as it cannot de- 

 fend its open nest against the owl at night ; and also one reason why 

 the instinct of the daw leads it always to seek the shelter of a hole, 

 although, as Mr. Waterton remarks, it appears to be as hardy a bird 

 as the rook. That wisdom and beneficence which never err may 

 have given them instincts for other and more important ends than 

 human eyes may ever be able to descry, but it is always gratifying 

 when we think we can in part understand the utility and design of 

 differences so striking. — From the Transactions of the Tyneside Natu- 

 ralists' Field Club, vol. i. part 1. p. 20. 



Description of a species of Haliotis, supposed to be new. 

 By C. B. Adams, Prof. 



Haliotis ponder osa. H. magna, ovata, crassissima, convexa; striis 

 incrementi magnis, irregularibus ; rugis concentricis, irregularibus, 

 subnodosis ; spira elevata, subterminali ; foraminibus quatuor, mag- 

 nis ; externe rubra, intus maculis plurimis rubris viridibusque irides- 

 cente. 



Shell ovate, convex, ponderous, with coarse unequal incremental 

 strise and concentric ridges (not folds), and a few broad low tuber- 

 cles on the ridges; spire elevated, subterminal ; four perforations 

 open, the inner one very large ; exterior surface brick-red ; inner 

 surface elegantly iridescent with innumerable shades of delicate red, 

 purplish red, and green. 



Length 8^ in. ; breadth 6|- in.; depth within 3|^ in. 



Comparison with the well-known H. rufescens. Swains., will 

 render a figure unnecessary. A large specimen of Swainson's shell 

 before me has exactly the same superficial dimensions, but is only 

 2\ inches deep. H. ponderosa is nearly or quite destitute of the 

 spiral waves of H. rufescens, is of a darker red without, wants the 

 red inner margin of the outer lip, and within has the clouds of 

 iridescent colours remarkably small and numerous, while in H. ru- 

 fescens they are remarkably large. It is more ponderous than any 

 Haliotis which we have seen, weighing 2 lbs. 2 oz. avoirdupois. 



Zoological Museum, Amherst College. Hab. ? 



Not finding this species in Reeve's very complete and excellent 

 monograph, I have ventured to describe it as new. — From Sillimans 

 Journal for July 1848. 



Cremastochilus in Ant Nests. By S. S. Haldeman. 



Our ant-nests are similar to those of Europe, in harbouring various 

 insects. Among these are Aphis, Coccus, Batrisus, Hister, Hetce- 

 rius, and the singular genus of Lamellicornia mentioned above. 



