Bibliographical Notices, 119 



tions we have received towards the history of this curious and very 

 imperfectly known race of animals. The author believes that there 

 is only one species of sperm whale, common to all the various lati- 

 tudes in which it is found, from Japan to the mouth of the Thames, 

 and that it is the largest of the sea animals, old males at times at- 

 taining the enormous length of 84 feet, and the females about one 

 fifth less, while according to Scoresby, the largest Greenland whale 

 seldom exceeds 70 — 72 feet. He corrects many points in the hi- 

 story of this animal as given by LacdpMe, Cuvier, and others, and' 

 shows most decidedly, that in the accounts they have given, they 

 have very often confounded the habits of the different species of 

 whales. They are said to feed on cuttlefish (Octopus) and small fish, 

 and are very quiet and inoifensive unless attacked. The latter part 

 of the work consists of an interesting account, written in a very lively 

 style, of the author's adventures as Surgeon in a South-Sea Whaler. 



Flora excursoria Hafniensis. Scripsit S. T. N. Drejer. Hafniaa, 



1838. 12mo. 



This interesting little work is a Flora of two islands at the mouth 

 of the Baltic, and is full of valuable observations. It appears to have 

 been executed with great care, and we doubt not will attract much 

 attention in this country from the great similarity of its plants to 

 those included in the British Flora, but more particularly to those of 

 Scotland. 



The author distinguishes Circaea intermedia from C. alpina by the 

 form of its fruit, which we suspect is an uncertain character, and de- 

 scribes C. lutetiana as without bractea, which is incorrect, since they 

 may always be detected, although usually very minute and setaceous. 

 Aira caryophyllea and preecox he refers to Avena, and makes cuespitosa 

 the only representative of the former genus. 



He introduces a new Poa, denominated adspersa, " culmo Isevi su- 

 perne nudo vaginis laevibus internodio brevioribus suprema folio suo 

 multo breviore, ligula elongata obtusa," and includes in his list 

 P.fertilis, Host., and P. costata, Schum. In the genus Myosotis 

 the proportional length of the style and calyx or fruit has been in- 

 troduced, and we believe for the first time used as a specific charac- 

 ter in all the species. We have not time to examine into its value, 

 but esteem it well deserving of attention. Viola canina is divided 

 into several species, but apparently without sufficient cause ; we be- 

 lieve that it will be found that V. lacfea, Sra., referred by Koch to 

 lanci/oUa, Thore, V. stagnifia, Kit., which is the lactea oi Reich. Icon. 



