“I 
io 
Miscellaneous. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
ON A WHITE VARIETY OF THE HYACINTH AND COLUMBINE, 
Pontypool, July 16, 1840. 
Sir,—I have to apologize for having so long delayed the remainder 
of my communication upon spontaneous generation, but having been 
rather fully engaged since the first part of it was inserted, I have 
not been able to transcribe it: I hope to be able to send it in about a 
week or ten days, so that I am afraid it will be too late for the next 
Number, 
In addition to the white varieties of plants mentioned by Mr. 
Adams in the last Number, I have observed in this neighbourhood 
white varieties of the common Hyacinth and Columbine (Aquilegia) : 
the whole plant of the latter varies very much in colour from the 
proper plant, being wholly of a light green, and possessing none of 
the purplish-brown shade on the stems, so conspicuous in its normal 
state, so that they may easily be known when not in flower. I have 
seen large bushes of it growing within a few yards of the other va- 
riety. 
I remain, yours most respectfully, 
James BLapon. 
P.S. The species of Crane Fly alluded to is a species of Tricho- 
cera, according to Mr. Westwood, from whom I have received a let- 
ter to that effect; he has also mentioned it in his ‘‘ Introduction.” 
ON A SPECIES OF BALZNOPTERA STRANDED ON CHARMOUTH BEACH, 
Charmouth, Dorset, 9th July, 1840. 
S1r,—My communication to Mr. Charlesworth respecting a spe- 
cies of Balenoptera stranded on Charmouth beach, which appears in 
your Magazine of Natural History of the lst of July, should have 
been corrected by my second letter to him on the same subject pre- 
viously to its being published. In my second communication I re- 
quested that the paragraph stating ‘‘ that two small bones repre- 
‘senting the pelvis in quadrupeds were attached (one on each side) 
to the first caudal vertebra,” should be omitted, as no such bones exist ; 
my second letter also contained several particulars respecting the ~ 
sternum, os hyoides, bones of the spine, &c., which should have 
been incorporated with the first account, as it would have rendered 
it more complete and correct. 
I gave as my chief reason for believing ‘‘ that our species differed 
from those previously described,” the circumstance of its possessing 
only sixty vertebre, the others having sixty-two; a more particular 
and careful investigation has convinced me that two of the small 
caudal bones have been lost, making the whole number sixty-two, 
and I am now convinced that it is nothing more or less than a small 
specimen of the species stranded at Ostend some years ago, and ex- 
hibited in London, viz. the Rorqual ‘‘ Baleenoptera boons.” 
Yours, &c., 
R. H. Sweerine, Surgeon. 
