go Miscellaneous. 



mentation, which induce him to adopt the notion of M. Schultze. 

 that segmentation is due to a contractility of the viteMs.—Jiencht 

 der Akad. der Wiss. su Wien, 28 April, 1864, p. 75. 



On globular Cell-thickenings in the Envelope of the Roots of some 

 Orchideae. By Dr. H. Leitgeb. 

 The cellular stratum beneath the envelope of the aerial roots of 

 tropical Orchidese always consists of two kinds of cells — namely, 

 elongated and usually thick-walled cells, and shorter ones which are 

 always thin-walled. The walls of the cells of the root-envelope adja- 

 cent to this stratum are always thickened in a peculiar manner, and 

 the structure of these strata of thickening, again, is usually diflFerent in 

 the walls situated upon the thin-walled cells and in those adjacent to 

 the elongated cells. On the former several superimposed strata may 

 not unfrequently be recognized ; and these, in some plants belonging 

 to the genus Sobralia, acquire so great a development as to form 

 pretty large spherules, often occupying nearly the whole cell. Oude- 

 mans, who first mentioned these spherules, regarded them as foreign 

 bodies ; but, from careful anatomical investigation, as also from their 

 behaviour with reagents, they must be regarded as accumulated 

 thickening layers — a view which is also established most indubitably 

 both by the history of their development and by comparison with 

 other similar structures. From the circumstance that these spherules 

 are produced by the superimposition of several thickening layers, 

 each of which proves to be a network formed of numerous inter- 

 crossing fibres, we must ascribe to them a porous character, and it 

 is probably in this property that their physiological significance 

 consists. Thus, as porous bodies, they have the power of taking up 

 the water condensed by the envelope of the root, and of retaining it 

 for a considerable time, so as to furnish it gradually to the subjacent 

 conical (thin-walled) cells ; in this way they acquire, to a certain 

 extent, the function of reservoirs of water, which are necessary for 

 these plants, as they do not grow in moist primaeval forests, but in 

 the open ground, and throw out their roots upon the surface of the 

 sandy soil.— Bericht der Akad. der Wiss. zu Wien, 10 March, 1864, 

 p. 51. 



Notice of a new Squirrel from Natal. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. &c. 



SCIURUS ORNATUS. 



Back dark blackish grizzled ; hairs red, with a broad black sub- 

 termmal band and a white tip. Head, legs and thighs, underside, 

 and tail very bright red-bay ; the hairs of the head, limbs, and belly 

 red to the base ; the hairs of the tail very vivid and dark red for 

 more than half their length ; the base, especially of those near the 

 lower end of the tail, black, with two broad greyish bands. 



1 he red colour of the female not quite so bright and dark, and 

 the base of the tail grizzled, with shorter red tips to the hairs. 



Sab. Natal {W. Fosbrooke, Esq.). 



This species is about the size of the Common European Squirrel. 

 —Proc. Zool. Sac. Jan. 12, 1864. 



