316 Miscellaneous. 



Silurana tropicalis. 



Olive-green, smooth, pale beneath. The webs of the hind feet are 

 broad, white, semitransparent ; the claws on the three inner toes are 

 well developed and black. 



Hab. West Africa, Lagos. Brit. Mus. Collected by R. B. N. 

 Walter, Esq. 



The Bactylethra Mulleri of Dr. Peters, from Mozambique, and of 

 Mr. Cope, from the Gaboon, most probably belong to this genus : but 

 the beards are described as being placed " below the eyes ;" in this 

 animal they are far in front of the lower fjart of the eye, and situated 

 at the angle of the gape, as in many Siluri and other fishes with 

 bearded mouths. 



Note on Lepas anatifera, 



16 Union Terrace, Aberdeen. 

 Sept. 12. 1864. 



Dear Sir, — I send you a photograph of rather a remarkable spe- 

 cimen of the common Barnacle {Lepas anatifera of Linnaeus), which 

 was picked up by the fishermen in the Bay of Aberdeen a few 

 days ago, and which you might notice in the 'Annals' if you think 

 it worthy. 



The log of wood is about 27 feet long, and 16 inches in diameter, 

 three sides of which are covered with millions of these animals in 

 high perfection. The Barnacles, as they lie about it, make a diameter 

 of 2 feet 9 inches, and, floating in the water, they spread out to a 

 width of 4 or 5 feet. The shell, in the greater number, is fully 

 \\ inch long, while the peduncle is, in many, 18 inches. 



I am not aware of the Barnacle having been seen before in this 

 part of the country, though I believe it is occasionally found on the 

 western coast. 



It is probable that the pine-log to which the animals are attached 

 must have floated from a southern latitude ; so that an interesting 

 problem is offered to science by its appearance in our bay. 



I am. Sir, 



Your obedient Servant, 

 To W. Francis, Ph.D., F.L.S. Ro. Dyce, M.D., F.R.S.E. 



On the Anatomy of the Balanophorece, as regards the Characters 

 which it furnishes for the Classification of those Plants. By M. 

 A. Chatin. 



The Balanophorese, with the Cytincae and Rafilesiaceae constitute a 

 singular class of parasitic plants, which has received the name of 

 Rhizanthece ; their flowers, which are sometimes small and grouped 

 together, sometimes very large and solitary, often appear to push 

 forth, like Mushrooms, from a sort of subterranean byssus. 



Their seed, which has been the subject of valuable investigations 

 on the part of Messrs. Weddell, J. D. Hooker, Griffith, and Hof- 

 meister, has its embryo formed only by a homogeneous cellular mass, 

 like the spores of Cryptogamic plants — a simplicity of organization 



