274 Miscellaneous. 



this also was only a liver in appearance, that the liquid secreted 

 was also the principal digestive liquid emulsionizing the fatty bodies, 

 transforming the albuminoids into peptones and producing glucose 

 at the expense of amylaceous matters. 



The epithelium, consisting of voluminous cells, of the caeca of the 

 Phalangida has the most analogy with the cellular elements of the 

 supposed liver of the Araneida ; but, what is more positive, the 

 liquid secreted in abundance also transforms the feculents into 

 glucose slowly, dissolves the albuminoids actively, and energetically 

 emulsionizes the fats. 



The caeca of the Phalangida are therefore not the analogues of 

 the cephalothoracic suctorial sacs of the Araneida, but the evident 

 analogues of their abdominal digestive gland. It results from this, 

 (and direct observation also proves it), that the large median sac is the 

 principal place for digestion, and consequently the middle intestine. 



The Gourami and its Nest. 

 By M. Carbonniek. 



I have of late years had the honour of making known to the Aca- 

 demy the curious and interesting habits of certain fishes of the group 

 Labyrinthici. In these species, at the time of reproduction, the 

 males become adorned with the most vivid colours, construct a 

 nest to shelter the products of the spawning, and during the embry- 

 onic development, as also after hatching, give a careful and efiieacious 

 protection to their progeny — facts which indicate a highly developed 

 instinct in these creatures, and reveal the existence of faculties of 

 which they have heretofore been regarded as destitute. Among these 

 are the Macropodi of China and the Colisce of India. The study of 

 another fish of the same family, the Gourami {OspJiromeniis olfaoc) 

 has furnished me with subjects of no less astonishment and admi- 

 ration. 



The Gourami, an inhabitant of the fresh waters of China and India, 

 is remarkable for the large size to which it may grow and for the 

 goodness of its flesh, which renders it a valuable article of food. 



My trials in former years not having given any result, I deter- 

 mined last spring to keep my fishes in a medium maintained artifi- 

 cially at a constant temperature of 25° C. (=77° F.), which it ap- 

 peared to me must be suitable for their reproduction. With this view, 

 my fishes were placed in an aquarium containing about 48 gallons of 

 water. In a few days I saw the bodies of the males become adorned 

 with vivid colours ; they pursued each other, and seemed to struggle 

 furiously for the possession of the females. I then selected the 

 finest male, whose lips were tumefied in an abnormal fashion, and 

 left him alone in the aquarium with a female which he seemed to 

 pursue perseveringly. He soon commenced in one of the angles of 

 the aquarium the formation of a nest of froth, which in a few hours 

 attained a considerable size — 6 to 75 inches in diameter, and 4 to 4f 

 inches in height. 



In the Chinese Macropodus the male draws directly from the outer 



