346 Miscellaneous. 



lanceolate form, and are somewhat pointed. The axis of the gland 

 is in the form of an elongated cone ; it is composed of elongated and 

 dense cellular tissue. Dr. Balfour, with the aid of his pupil, Mr. 

 Matthews, examined these glands in many Cinchonacese, and they 

 detected them in fresh specimens of the following : — Cinchona Cali- 

 saya, Burchellia capensis, Cephaelis Ipecacuanha, Coffea arabica, 

 Ixora javanica, Musscenda frondosa, Rondeletia speciosa, Pavetta 

 indica, Luculia gratissima and Pinceana, Pentas carnea. Gardenia 

 Stanley ana, and other species. In some the secretion was beautifully 

 coloured. 



Dr. Balfour stated that he had recently received a letter from Dr. 

 WaHter-Arnott, in which he remarks, that in preparing spiral vessels 

 to show them fresh, he finds the most easy plan is to take the petiole 

 or peduncle of Pinguicula vulgaris and squeeze it between two glass 

 shdes, so that it may become thin and transparent. In this way a 

 preparation is made, which, when put under the microscope, ex- 

 hibits spiral vessels and annular ducts distinctly without any further 

 trouble. 



Dr. Balfour exhibited specimens of Knappia agrostidea, recently 

 collected by Mr. Syme at Gullane Links, but which he had subse- 

 quently ascertained to have been sown there by several botanists at 

 different times ; as also Ranunculus confusus, Gr. et G., from a pond 

 at the same place ; and R. trichophyllus, from the pools at Gullane : 

 the latter is considered by Mr. Babington and others as a variety of 

 jK. aquatilis. Dr. Balfour also exhibited from Mr. Syme dried spe- 

 cimens of Narcissus poeticus, retaining the beautiful colour of the 

 flower ; the specimens had been received in a fresh state from the 

 Rev. Mr. Bree, AUesley Rectory. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



ORTHAGORISCUS MOLA. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Edinburgh, 7 West Maitland Street, 

 September 20, 1851. 



Gentlemen, — Having had the opportunity this morning of ex- 

 amining a recent specimen of the Short Sun-Fish, Orthagoriscus mola, 

 it occurred to me it might be of sufticient interest to justify my trou- 

 bling you with a note of its capture. It was taken by some fishermen 

 ' while swimming or rather floating near the surface of the sea, off the 

 coast of Haddingtonshire, near Dunglass, on the 18th of this month. 

 Its length was about 21 inches from the point of the nose to the ex- 

 tremity of the tail ; and its breadth in front of the dorsal fin across 

 to anus, immediately in front of anal fin, was 13 inches 6 lines ; the 

 length of the dorsal fin was 9 inches, and the anal 8 inches 6 lines, 

 both being very moveable at their junction with the body ; the length 

 of the caudal fin, which unites these two other fins together, was 

 2 inches at its centre, the long " hinge-like " part connecting it to the 

 body being 1 inch 9 lines in breadth at the same place ; the rays of 



