Miscellaneous . 391 



that does not agree in the slightest degree with the generic character, 

 which is that of a cylindrical branched sponge. I can only sup- 

 pose that they had intended to figure the calcareous one and forgot 

 it, and then somehow mixed up the two sponges together; at 

 any rate, there is no doubt that by the law of priority the name of 

 Alcyoncellum belongs to the calcareous Australian sponge, as, I think, 

 Dr. Bowerbank must admit. 



To add to the confusion, M. Milne-Edwards, in the second edi- 

 tion of Lamarck's work, published in 1834, seeing that the figures 

 and the generic characters in MM. Quoy and Gaimard's work did not 

 agree, instead of giving a new generic name to the sponge figured, 

 gave a new character to the genus Alcyoncellum, evidently taken 

 from M^[. Quoy and Gaimard's plate. Thus he lost the credit of 

 estabhshing the genus that was afterwards named Eaplectella, 

 though in fact he did establish it under a name used for a dif- 

 ferent sponge. 



On an accidental case of Monoeciousness in Ccelebogyne. 

 By H. Baillon. 



The author showed to the French Academy some monoecious 

 branches of Ccelebogyne ilicifolia, Sm., bearing at the same time 

 female flowers, ripe and entire fruits, fruits open to give issue to 

 perfectly formed seeds, and, at their upper part, thousands of male 

 flowers with the anthers full of pollen. The specimens formed part 

 of a collection of Euphorbiacece sent from Australia for determination 

 by Dr. E. Miiller, and were collected at Eockhampton in the 'v\dld 

 state. 



The author remarks that the slight value of the genus Ccelebo- 

 gyne, and the frequency of such anomalies in other genera to which 

 its species might be referred (Cladodes, Alchornea, AparistTimium), 

 had led him to predict that, sooner or later, cases of hermaphrodism 

 or monoeciousness would be detected in this plant. This prediction 

 was already fulfilled as to hermaphrodite flowers. The present de- 

 monstration of the existence of accidentally monoecious flowers 

 gives, in his opinion, the last blow to the doctrine of parthenoge- 

 nesis. — Convptes Rendus, May 4, 1868, p. 856. 



Note on a Double Egg of a Fowl. 



To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 



Gentlemei^, — A friend, residing in the Cuddupah district, in the 

 Madras Presidency, has sent me a boiled fowl's egg which contains 

 a smaller egg with a shell. It had been cooked for his breakfast. 



Eggs with a double yelk I have several times seen ; but I have 

 never seen or heard before of a perfect egg inside another : it there- 

 fore appears desirable that it should be recorded in the ' Annals.' 



I am, Gentlemen, 



Very truly yours, 



J. Mitchell, Captain. 

 Ootacaraund, Sept. 1 , 1 868. Sup. of the Madras Museum. 



