246 JYotes on JYahcral History. [May 



palea hairy on the back and margin near the base, strongly three 

 nerved, the nerves projecting at the apex into cusps; the middle 

 cusp longest, forming with the intermediate teeth a five toothed 

 apex; upper palea ciliate on the marginal keels. 



This is a harsh grass, which is not relished by domestic animals, 

 and hence it is of little value to the agriculturist. It is occasion- 

 ally found in dry sandy soils in the Northern States, and is quite 

 common in similar situations throughout the Southern and West- 

 ern States. It grows in tufts, and hence is unsuited to form a 

 turf. Pursh states that this is " a most excellent grass," and that 

 he has " seen mountain meadows in Pennsylvania, w'here they 

 mow this grass twice a year; producing most excellent crops each 

 time, without manure, or any other trouble than the mowing — 

 lasting for the space of sixteen years, without the least decline in 

 the crops — the soil at the same time being a very indifferent one." 

 However excellent this grass may be in the mountain meadows of 

 Pennsylvania, it certainly is little esteemed in other sections of 

 the United States. 



NOTES OX NATURAL HISTORY. 



BY JAMES EIGHTS. 



Our approach to the La Plataen shore was during a most 

 beautiful morning in December ; the first of the summer months 

 in the southern hemisphere, with a light breeze blowing di- 

 rectly in for the land, and which towards mid-day, gradually fell 

 away into a most perfect calm. The ship had been quietly forc- 

 ing her way through the light waves, when our attention was 

 arrested by the appearance of frequent and extensive patches of 

 a reddish brown discoloration of the water, in every direction 

 about our path, producing much the aspect of numerous shoals. 

 Upon repeated soundings, however, we found the depth in no 

 single instance to be less than fifty fathoms, with mud and com- 

 minuted shells, constituting the bottom. On raising a bucket of 

 this tinted water, and subjecting it to the focus of an ordinary 

 pocket lens, it was discovered to be composed of innumerable 

 small crustaceous animals, of an oval form, and about half a line 

 in length, beautifully margined by a slight purpleish fringe, their 

 whole external aspect presenting a striking resemblance to some 

 of the species of Cytherina, and their rapid gyratory motion im- 

 mediately reminded us of the interesting forms of Gyrinus so 

 exceedingly common during the months of summer, in the numer- 

 ous shadowy pools in our own country. These animals, no doubt, 



