454 Miscellaneous. 



and partly borrowed : tho latter vary in quality ; the former are, 

 without exception, the worst we have seen for a long time. 



Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists^ Societi/, n. s. vol. v. (1886-87), 

 pt. ii. pp. 95-206 : Engineering Section, pp. 1-94, Bristol, 1887. 



This part of the Bristol Naturalists' Society's Proceedings opens 

 with a paper on " Bristol Building Stones " by Prof. Lloyd Morgan ; 

 the various local rocks available for the purpose are described, the 

 principal buildings constructed of them being mentioned, and par- 

 ticulars of their resistance given. In a second paper, " On the 

 Origin of Mountain-Ranges," Prof. Morgan criticizes Mr. Mellard 

 Reade's views, and offers some general suggestions on this difficult 

 subject. Further geological information appears in the Engineering 

 Section, Mr, Charles Richardson giving a valuable paper on the 

 Severn Tunnel, Several interesting and useful sections are given as 

 illustrations to the thirty pages of text ; and the whole forms, with 

 some notes by Prof. Morgan, an important contribution to local and 

 applied geology. 



In the Botanical Section Mr. J. "W. "White contributes some sup- 

 plemental notes to the " Flora of the Bristol Coal-field," and Mr. 

 C. Bucknall continues his valuable papers on the Fungi of the 

 Bristol district, illustrating this portion of his work with four plates. 

 Some interesting notes apropos of the tercentenary of the potato are 

 contributed by Mr. Q. F, Burder. 



Local Zoology is taken in charge by Mr, H. J, Charbonnier, who 

 catalogues the Reptilia, Amphibia, and Pisces observed by him in 

 the district. 



The local Meteorology is chronicled by Messrs. G. F. Burder and 

 H. B. Jupp. 



Many short papers and abstracts of papers also appear in this 

 part ii., amongst which we may mention : — E. W. Phibbs, " Note 

 on a Sacred War Trophy from Ecuador, consisting of a Human Scalp 

 and Face; " W. P. Mendham, " The Deposition of Smoke and Dust 

 by means of Electricity ; " Prof, W. Ramsay, " On Colour Blind- 

 ness ; " Thomas Morgan, " Chilled Iron ; " J, W, I. Harvey, " On 

 the Method adopted to Compound a Pair of Ordinary Oscillating 

 Paddle-wheel Engines ; " and G, W, Sutcliffe, " Notes on Stationary 

 Engines," 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

 On the ^'■Nursing "-habits of Dendrobates, as observed by A. Kappler. 



By G. A. BOULENGEK, 



A SHOKT time ago Messrs, Cope and H. S. Smith * announced the 

 startling discovery that a South-American frog, Dendrobates brac- 

 catus, Cope, carries its tadpoles on its back ; these tadpoles differ in 

 no respect from the normal type, and simply adhere (by the mouth ?) 

 to the back of the parent, Mr, Smith observes that the tadpoles 

 " were moist and glistening, as if they had just been taken from 

 water, though the sun was shining hotly over them." It is a great 

 * Amer. Nat. 1887, p. 807. 



