Miscellaneous, 139 



Tnolluscous animals of the Firth of Forth district ; with drawings, 

 and, if possible, preparations. — 11. On the anatomy and physiology 

 of the respiratory and digestive organs of birds, from actual observa- 

 tion, with a special reference to the habits and manners, and the 

 natural arrangement of families and genera; with characteristic spe- 

 cimens. 



Botany. — 12. On the botany of the mountains of Scotland, in 

 connexion with their geological structure ; with specimens and a 

 map of the distribution. The range of ekvation, and the northern 

 and southern limits of species should be attended to, and any facts 

 illustrating the geographical distribution of plants recorded. It 

 would also add greatly to the interest of the communication if it 

 were accompanied with a coloured geognostical map of the districts. 

 The Essays to be written in English, French, or German. 



[The subjects are rather numerous ; and perhaps a fewer, with 

 higher premiums, for some at least, might have been better. The 

 preparations and drawings to illustrate some of them could not be 

 made for double the amount of the premium : and many would be 

 willing to compete for an honorary distinction who would not like 

 to give up their collections, — Ed,] 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



NOTICE OF AN UNCOMMONLY TAME AND SENSIBLE PINE MARTEN 

 {mUSTELA MARTEs), by ST. K. VON SIEMUSZOVA-PIETRUSKI. 



In June 1836 I obtained a very young Pine Marten, which in a short 

 space of time became so domestic that he truly deserved the admi- 

 ration of all who had an opportunity of seeing him, Tliis pretty 

 little animal went about freely through all the rooms of the house 

 without doing harm to any one, played in the court-yard with my 

 Danish dogs, often sprang upon their backs, and rode frequently 

 upon the good patient beasts after the manner of monkeys in a very 

 comical style for a good distance. The dogs too were very fond of 

 the Marten, and never showed signs of their inherited hatred of such 

 animals. In time he became so much attached to my person that 

 he followed me everywhere, even into the neighbouring villages, 

 just as only a dog or badger would do (see my remarks upon the 

 badger in Wiegmann's Archiv, 1837, Part II.). In these walks it was 

 very interesting to observe how he was able to overcome his natural 

 innate propensity for climbing up trees; for it very frequently 

 happened tliat the desire of climbing up a tree seized him ; yet as 



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