Intelligence and Miscellanies. 357 



INTELLIGENCE AND MISCELLANIES. 



1. Proceedings of the Lyceum of Natural History^ N. Yorh 



[Continued from page 191, of this Vol.] 



May, 1828. — Mr. N. H. Carter presented several boxes of 

 minerals, plants and animals collected by himself during his re- 

 cent visit to the island of Cuba. Among them were observ- 

 ed specimens of the Capromys furnieri, Strix fammea, M. 

 avicularia, seeds of the Mammea americana and of the Adan- 

 sonia digitata, and an extensive series of the bituminous sili- 

 ceous and calcareous minerals of that island. 



A member exhibited to the Society a specimen of the 

 Leonice gigantea, the largest of the marine Annelides being 

 nearly four feet in length. It was cast on shore alive in one 

 of the Antilles. When first captured it gave a smart electric 

 shock to the person who seized it, which was followed by a 

 general eruption over his body. 



Dr. DeKay gave an analysis of the memoir of Quoy and 

 Gamard on the coral islands of the Pacific. This was done 

 in accordance with a standing rule of the Lyceum which re* 

 quires an abstract or analysis of all works presented by their 

 authors. Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard suppose, (contrary to 

 the received opinion,) that those animals which work in solid 

 masses and form coral reef and islands, do not in fact ope- 

 rate at a lower depth than from 25 to 30 feet. From vari- 

 ous facts and analogical reasonings they demonstrate that 

 these animals commence their operations only on the peaks 

 of submarine mountains working gradually to the surface, 

 and they deny that these animals ever can form precipitous 

 submarine mountains, rising from the depths of the ocean. 



Dr. Torrey, after alluding to various notices in scientific 

 journals respecting the presence of mercury in sea water, pro- 

 ceeded to mention an experiment which he had caused to 

 be made in order to test the accuracy of the observation. 

 Through the attention of Capt. Bennet of the packet ship 



