196 Miscellanies. 



51. Note to the article by Dr. Hildreth in the last volume of 

 this Journal; by S. G. Mokton. — It is due to myself to state, that 

 my remarks on the Vegetable Organic Remains, published in the 

 last number of this Journal, were furnished without having seen the 

 specimens, the wood cuts alone having been submitted to my inspec- 

 tion. The Fossil Shells there described are in my possession, but 

 the drawings were made, and the wood cuts executed, before 1 re- 

 ceived the specimens, — a circumstance which will serve to explain 

 the unsatisfactory nature of some of the references. Dr. Hildreth 

 thought it would be best to figure some fragments, which, upon in- 

 spection, were found entirely indeterminate. 



52. Eyes of flies changed to red by nitric acid; by Lieut. 

 F. R. Baddeley, R. E. — Reading Article 40th of the Philosophi- 

 cal Magazine for October, 1S31, on the red coloring matter produ- 

 ced by the action of nitric acid upon alcohol, he, by M. Rouches, 

 I was strongly reminded of a fact which I have often noticed, (as 

 indeed it is probable that many others have also,) viz., that when 

 flies become immersed in nitric acid, their eyes, or eye-like protu- 

 berances, become changed to a deep sealing-wax color. Will any 

 of M. Rouches' observations explain (or apply to) this phenome- 

 non ? 



53. Death of Mr. David Douglas.* (Extracted from a letter 

 by J. Goodrich and J. Diell, published in the Ke Kumu Hawaii, a 

 paper printed at Honolulu, Nov. 26, 1834.) 



" From Edward Gurney, an Englishman, we received the follow- 

 ing account of the tragical scene : - About ten minutes before six 

 o'clock in the morning, Mr. Douglas arrived at his house on the 

 mountain, and wished him to point out the road to Hilo, and to go a 

 short distance with him. Mr. Douglas was then alone, but said that 

 his man had given out the day before ; (this man was probably 

 John, Mr. Diell's colored man.) After taking breakfast, Edward 

 accompanied Mr. Douglas about three fourths of a mile, and after 

 directing him in the path, and warning him of the traps, went on 



♦ Mr. Douglas was born at Perth, Scotland, and had traveled in various parts 

 of the world as a naturalist, connected with the Horticultural Society of London. 

 He was engaged in his scientific pursuits when he met with the fatal accident. It 

 took place on the 12th of July, 1834. 



