Miscellaneous. 235 
the embryo Vorticella, it is stated that its pulsations were less rapid 
than in the full-formed animalcule ; a circumstance at variance with 
analogy ; for, in the embryos of higher animals, the contractions 
of the cardiac vesicle, or punctum saliens, are more frequent than 
those of the circulating sac in the adult. Moreover, if such a perfect 
system of organs, presenting a cardiac and a respiratory sac, be ob- 
servable in the Vorticella, it must surely elevate that genus consider- 
ably in the scale of animals, and place it far above the majority of 
the polygastric Infusoria. And, consequently, if such a complex or- 
ganism can be shown in the Vorticelle, we are not to attribute a like 
one to those other Infusoria with which that family is at present asso- 
ciated ; for the Monads, the Ameebe, &c., are surely but one remove 
from homogeneous organic matter.—J. ‘I’. A.] 
Britisa Museum, Zoorocican DePparTMENT.—CoNCHOLOGY. 
It is suggested that the fields of the tablets on which shells are 
fastened should be stained with different colours corresponding to 
the following grand geographical divisions, which may be termed 
“eneric :” 1. Europe; 2. Asia and its islands; 3. Africa; 4. Australia; 
5. Polynesia; 6. North America ; 7. South America. 
Smaller specific geographical divisions might be indicated by a 
narrow border of a different colour to each tablet. When the loca- 
lity may be unknown, the tablet may remain white until farther in- 
formation can be acquired. Such a plan would interfere in no wise 
with the arrangement of species according to their affinities, while it 
would facilitate the researches of the student, who could, at a glance, 
ascertain the country of a particular species, or direct his attention, 
in rapid succession, to all the denizens of the particular tract regard- 
ing which he is desirous of gaining information, merely by reference 
to an index-card showing the colours of the divisions and subdivisions. 
The specific subdivisions may be increased to any extent desirable by 
the use of double or treble borders of diverse colours. 
The above is offered as an improvement on the system in use in 
some private entomological cabinets of distinguishing indigenous 
British species by a ticket of a conspicuous colour.—W. H. B. 
February 24, 1849. 
Eneuisn Wiup Beasts A CENTURY AND A HALF AGO. 
‘© At Enfield, hardly out of the sight of smoke of the capital, was a 
region of five and twenty miles in circumference which: contained: 
only three houses and scarcely any inclosed fields, Deer as free as 
in an American forest wandered there by thousands. It is to be 
remarked, that wild animals of large size were then far more nume- 
rous than at present. The last wild boars, indeed, which had been 
preserved for the royal diversion, and had been allowed to ravage 
the cultivated land with their tusks, had been slaughtered by the 
exasperated rustics during the license of the civil war. The last 
wolf that has roamed our island had been slain in Scotland a short 
time before the close of the reign of Charles the Second. But many 
