Bibliographical Notices. 433 



easily be introduced into our Zoological Gardens. Another interesting 

 and little-known bird is the Fidica cristata, which is abundant at 

 Algiers, and occurs occasionally in Sicily, Sardinia and Provence. 



We may here notice a new species of PicKS described by M. Mal- 

 herbe in the ' Memoires de 1' Academic de Metz,' 1843, and of which 

 he proposes to give a coloured figure in the general history of the 

 Picida, which he informs us he is now engaged upon. This species, 

 which he names Pictts numidus, takes the place of Picus major in 

 Northern Africa, and is common in the forests of Bona. The size is 

 less than that of P. major, but the beak is generally longer. The 

 plumage much resembles that of the latter species, but the white 

 patch on the side of the neck and the white spots on the wings are 

 smaller, and the black stripe on each side of the throat meets in front 

 on the breast, where it is succeeded by a band of crimson. 



We shall wait with interest for further contributions to zoology 

 from M. Malherbe, who has already done much to advance science 

 by the above publications. 



JJber die Venvandhnuj der Infusorien in niedere Algenformen. Von 

 Dr. F. T. Kutzing. Nordhausen, 4to, 1844. 



It has long been a favourite notion with German botanists, that 

 under varying momenta of air, heat, moisture, &c., the same germ is 

 capable of producing widely different objects. This has been worked 

 out with more or less ability by a host of w'riters, and though in many 

 cases it has been attempted to support it by the very loosest obser- 

 vations and reasonings, this reproach cannot justly be given to all its 

 supporters, for there are many, not only from their literary reputa- 

 tion but from the merit of the observations themselves, however dif- 

 ferently we may be inclined to interpret them, who at least require 

 respectful attention. There is no doubt that the conclusions are im- 

 plicitly beheved by themselves to be just and logical, with a deep 

 persuasion that they are by no means inconsistent with fit and humble 

 views as to the nature of the great Creator of the Universe, and it is 

 clear that they have the greatest difficulty in imagining how they can 

 possibly make a different impression upon others. To such an ex- 

 tent has this notion been carried, that we are informed in the number 

 of ' Botanische Zeitung ' for 19th July 1844, that Reissek of Vienna 

 has succeeded in making pollen grains germinate in the parenchym 

 of leaves and stems, not merely of the mother-plant, but also on those 

 of others belonging to different natural orders ; that they produced 

 fungi laden with spores, and that these sj^ores when placed in water 

 produced confervoid plants filled wdth chlorophylle, and copulating 

 with one another ; that he observed also the metamorphosis of the 

 pollen cells Into animals of Ehrenberg's genus Astasia, and that the 

 contents of the pollen cells also produced plants and animals. From 

 the smaller particles were originated Bacterice, Vibrios and Confervas ; 

 from the larger, green globular Monads. 



He professes also to have observed the metamorphosis of the chlo- 

 rophylle of phaenogamous plants into Confervee and Infusoria. From 



Ann. ^- Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xiv. 2 G 



