304 Miscellaneous. 



a fact which, if I am not mistaken, has not yet been pointed out, and 

 the investigation of which might certainly be extended to the Poly- 

 jpori and other Fungi. 



It has long since been observed (Geoffroy, 1711 ; Turpin, Vitta- 

 dini, 1831 ; Tulasne) that the truffles present veins the white tint 

 of which is due to the presence of air in the tissue composing them. 

 Their arrangement, which at the first glance seems confused, is 

 nevertheless sufficiently regular to allow them to be traced, either 

 from a central point {foveola), whence they radiate towards the peri- 

 phery, or in series starting from the surface of the truffle, where they 

 open. These veins, according to M. Tulasne, are not circumscribed 

 by a double membrane, as was supposed by Vittadini ; they are not, 

 however, accidental, but are limited by elongated cells of the fructi- 

 ferous pulp ; and in the young truffles it may be ascertained that 

 these cells are arranged close together in ranks like paraphyses, in a 

 direction perpendicular to that of the canal which they line. 



Fistulina buglossdides, Bull., presents white lines which traverse 

 its tissue in a definite direction; now these narrow lines or veins 

 also present this tint only in consequence of the air which is inter- 

 calated between their cells. There is no ready-formed canal bounded 

 by a proper membrane ; the air insinuates \ise\i {se faujile) between 

 the cells, always following a determinate direction, from the base 

 of the pedicle towards the periphery of the mushroom. It arrives 

 in this way at the exterior, in part through the pilose tufts scattered 

 over the non-fructifying surface, in part by traversing the length of 

 the hymenophorous tubes. The presence of air seems to be connected, 

 if not with the formation, at least with the maturation of the spores 

 and conidia or pseudospores that I have indicated. Perhaps it is for 

 this reason that the truffles, which fructify when protected from the 

 atmosphere, are so abundantly furnished with air-passages. But 

 until we have more numerous and extended investigations it would 

 be imprudent to formulate a general law upon this subject. In any 

 case it is interesting to find in low plants destitute of vessels a lacu- 

 nar aerial circulation, which recalls the lacunar circulation of the blood 

 in a great number of the lower animals destitute of, or only partially 

 provided with, circulatory vessels. — Comptes Rendus, March 4, 1867. 



ZiPHIUS SOV^ERBIENSIS. 



A fine male specimen of Ziphius Sowerhiensis has been cast ashore 

 on the coast of Kerry. Unfortunately the peasantry had cut it to 

 pieces before it was seen by any person interested in the subject. 

 The head, with the teeth, has fortunately been preserved in a perfect 

 state ; and Mr. Andrews has read a paper on the specimen before 

 the Royal Dubhn Society. A fuller account, with plates, will be 

 published in the * Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy.' This 

 is only the second male specimen that has been obtained. 



