Botany and Zoology. 421 



on the slickenslides, also on the perfectly formed Lepidodendra. The 

 correctness of my views here I could prove to the most skeptical. 



The discoveries still to be made on this subject are numerous and 

 important, and I doubt not that the investigation of the coal itself will 

 soon solve the doubts hitherto existing in the comparison of the coal 

 fossils with recent plants. 



I will merely add, that I have found quite distinctly the impression of 

 the cellular cuticle of some of these plants, which of course cannot be 



seen in an impression on shale, the grains of the sedimentary matter 

 being as large as the surface of the ceils; but on the pasty mass of 

 coal the impression is perfect. 



III. Botany and Zoology. 



1. Description of a supposed neiv species of Columba, inhabiting 

 Mexico; by George A. M'Call, (Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 

 July, 1847.) — Columba solilaria. — Length 13 inches 9 lines. Alar 

 extent 23 inches. Wing, from the flexure, 7 inches, 5 lines. Tarsus 

 1 inch; middle toe 1 inch, 2 lines; first toe 9 lines, and longer than 

 the third; nails light flesh color; feet and legs deep red. Iris dark 

 orange. Bill above, 1 inch, 1 line, but feathered to within 5 lines of 

 the tip ; reddish near the base, whitish near the tip. Head chocolate- 

 blue. Throat chocolate-white. Neck and breast blueish-chocolate 

 with brilliant reflections. Back, belly, flanks, underwing-coverts and 

 greater exterior wing-coverts light red color, the last faintly bordered 

 with white. Lesser wins-coverts chocolate red, forming a bright shoul- 

 d er spot of elliptical shape. Quill feathers dusky, tinged with lead 

 color on the outer vanes. 3rd primary longest. Upper and under tail- 

 coverts blueish^Iead color. Tail 5 inches ; slightly rounded ; of twelve 

 feathers; dusky. 



Individuals of this fine species, which in general contour, resembles 

 Columba (Enas, were found on the Rio Grande, from Matamoras to 

 Camargo ; these were shy, and only met with at intervals. They were 

 again observed on one or two of the smaller water courses between 

 the former place and Victoria, but never in flocks ; nor were more than 

 half-a-dozen seen anywhere in a single day while hunting over large 

 extents. Their haunts were in the neighborhood of running streams or 

 very large ponds of clear water : here four or five might be found scat- 

 tered over some 20 or 50 acres ; thus showing little sociability even on 

 their feeding grounds. But most frequently he is found alone, perched 

 near the water, or with rapid wing shaping his solitary course across 

 the extensive waste. His flight is extremely bold, as he pitches in wide 

 irregular zig zags through the air, with a velocity scarcely to be surpass- 

 ed. The meat for delicacy of flavor is not excelled by any of the family. 



2. Basilosaurus, (communicated by Prof. Agassiz, from a letter re- 

 cently received from M. A. Retzius.)— The following is an extract from 

 a letter from Prof. J. Miiller to Mr. A. Retzius, dated Berlin, March 24, 

 1847. 



u The Hydrarchus, Koch, found in the tertiary formation in Alabama, 

 is identical with Harlan's Basilosaurus and Owen's Zeuglodon cetoides* 



* Phocodon, Agassiz. Squalodon, Grateloup, in Leonhard and Bronn's Jahrbuch 

 for Mineralogie, 1841, p. 830. 



