Review of the Boston Journal of Natural . History . 231 



Art. II. Boston Journal of Natural History, containing Pa- 

 pers and Communications read to the Boston Society of Nat- 

 ural History, and published by their direction. Part I. — No. 

 III. 150 pp. Hilliard, Gray h Co. Boston. 1836. 



Another series of papers on the inexhaustible treasures of na- 

 ture, read before the Society of Natural History in this city, lies 

 before us. A very long communication on the new species of Hy- 

 menoptera, and observations on already described species, from the 

 pen of that enterprising naturalist, Mr. Thomas Say, serves to en- 

 rich its pages and add to our knowledge of our native insect tribes. 

 Most of the specimens we observed, are described as inhabiting 

 Indiana, in which State, it is well known, this distinguished indi- 

 vidual resided in the latter period of his life. An order of insects 

 so extensive as the Hymenoptera compose, cannot be confined, in 

 their locality, exclusively to the Western States, though only oc- 

 curring in that locality, under the observation of the author of the 

 essay. With the true spirit of minute and critical investigation, 

 nothing seems to escape his penetrating and acute observation. 

 From the very nails and tarsi of other species, he draws forth the 

 devoted prey, and reduces it to order among the rest of his speci- 

 mens. (FiWep. 294.) We cannot too much admire that spirit 

 of microscopic research, which can derive satisfaction and improve- 

 ment and confer benefit on others, from the minutest as the noblest 

 work of Creative Power. We trust that whatever papers may be 

 in the possession of the members of this society, which formerly 

 belonged to Mr. Say, will appear in the future pages of their valu- 

 able Journal. 



In the second article of the present number, we travel with the 

 state geologist of Massachusetts on an interesting geological tour 

 in the vicinity of Portland, Me. Several singular phenomena are 

 presented to us, and some ingenious and plausible theories. In the 

 clay, which he calls the ^'■nearest tertiary^'' formation, he finds 

 several interesting species of fossil shells ; of Nucula, Mya, Sani- 

 cara. Bulla. We know not how long fossils have been known to 

 exist on our eastern Atlantic coast, even several miles from the 

 sea, but have in our possession several interesting species both 

 from Maine and our own State, discovered, as we presume, in a 

 similar situation, not only identical with native, but even with for- 

 eign co-species. 



In arranging the Cabinet of Icthyology, its curator was led to 

 examine the catalogue of the fishes of Massachusetts appended to 

 Prof. Hitchcock's •' Geology," etc., of the State. We were glad 

 to see this paper, as we long suspected an incorrect list, and even 

 an imperfect one, was affixed to the above work. Twelve indi- 

 vidual species of various genera have been mentioned, omitted in 



