142 Miscellaneous. 



Tail quadrangular, with sharp edges, and with five pairs of band- 

 bearing spines along its upper side ; its end is slightly prehensile. 



P. 20. D. 37. The dorsal is situated entirely on the tail. 



The specimen, being dry, has lost its original colours, which were 

 probably red during life. The iris is crossed by radiating streaks ; 

 and several other streaks (of a whitish colour) radiate from the eye 

 over the opercles and the upper part of the head. 



There is no doubt that these fish attach themselves with the pre- 

 hensile end of their tail to stems of seaweed or other objects ; and 

 when they are in the vicinity of seaweed of a similar colour, their 

 resemblance to it must be so great that they would easily escape 

 being observed by their enemies. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



The Food of the Aye- Aye. 

 To Br. J. E. Gray. 

 Dear, Sir, — The specimen of sugar-cane I sent for your examina- 

 tion a few days since exhibits in a clear manner the mode of using 

 its incisor teeth by the Aye-Aye. This animal, as you are aware, 

 came here in August 1862, and during the period of nearly three 

 years has been kept in good health and condition, its food being 

 varied from time to time. It was only recently that I obtained some 

 fresh green sugar-cane, and placed two or three sticks of the same in 

 the cage of the Aye-Aye. I soon found the animal was fond of this 

 kind of food ; and it is interesting to observe how well its teeth are 

 adapted for obtaining the juice and sugar from each of the joints of 

 the cane. As will be seen, the long points of the incisors cut deeply 

 into the cane, the fibre being pulled forward, and the moisture 

 chewed out. In the observations made by me, and published in the 

 'Annals' for July 1863, p. 72, I stated that the animal feeds freely 

 on a mixture of milk, honey, eggs, and any thick glutinous Jiuid; 

 and, from what I had observed, I was led to think the creature fed 

 upon the juices of trees ; and I am induced to send you this short 

 notice as an additional proof of the correctness of my statements. 

 I am, dear Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



A. D. Bartlett. 



On the Histology of the Acalephse. By Prof. Kolliker. 



Professor Kolliker has published in the 'Wiirzburger naturwis- 

 senschaftliche Zeitschrift ' some observations made by him upon the 

 histology of the Hydrozoa and Ctenophora in the Firth of Clyde. 



In these animals he distinguishes three kinds of connective tissue. 

 One forms the tentacles of the Hydroid Polypes and all the solid 

 tentacles of the Medusae. It presents the appearance of a series of 

 cells {muscular cells of Keferstein) occupying the axis of the tenta- 

 cle. These cells possess no contractility ; at least the tentacles of 



