A38 Sctentific Intelligence. 
occasions, marking exactly the three severest frosts that we experienced 
-during the winter, the thermometer immersed in an aquarium contain- 
ing about thirty gallons of water, fell as low as 45° Fahr. The Shrimp 
and Crab tribes, and the Crustaceans generally, are especially affected 
by these changes, and on each of the three occasions alluded to, one 
or two individuals perished; the larger-sized Prawns, as Paleman 
serratus, appeared to suffer more readily than the P. squi/la, although 
this might arise from the smaller ones being able to find a shelter from 
the radiation by concealing themselves more completely among the 
rock-work or vegetation. Anthea cereus is also very sensitive to con- 
siderable variations of temperature, falling from its foot-hold to the 
bottom of the tank apparently dead. 
during the hottest period of the day, and on my return I found every 
creature dead. It contained an Anthea cereus, Actinia dianthus, two 
specimens of Athanas nitescens, and several others. 
Too much light has also the effect of rapidly propagating several of 
¢ 
IV. Astronomy. 
1. Variable Star, (Compt. Rend., 41: 950.)—Mr. Luther at Bilk 
has discovered a new variable star called T. Piscium. Its variation 
in magnitude is from 9-10 to 11. Its position for the equinox of 1 
was R. A. 0b 20m 268 and Dec. +13° 26’. ithe 
2. New Comets, (Astron. Journ., 90.)—Mr. C. Brubns at Berlin dis- 
covered a comet on the 12th of November, appearing like a ee 
nebula. Its position at 17% 22™ of that day was R. A. 149° 1/ 26", 
and Dec. +2° 7 15”, with a daily motion in R. A. of about — 20’ 
are and in Dec. almost nothing. : 
On the 12th of Dec., William Mitchell of Nantucket reported the 
_ discovery, at eight o’clock on the preceding evening, of a telescople 
comet in the neck of Cetus. Ey 
