62 



THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



BOTANY. 



Edible Sea Weed. — The Philippine Islands contribute a very large portion of 

 those Edible Birds-Nests, which are consumed as food in immense quantities by the 

 Chinese, and recently also in Europe. Our particular attention must now be directed 

 to that Edible Sea Weed, which is encountered on the coast of the Philippines, as 

 well as on those of the Bashees, the islands of the Japanese Empire, the Moluccas, 

 and many others, where it serves either as an article of food or for exportation. In 

 the markets of Macao and Canton, one meets with large chests of this dried Sea 

 Weed, which is introduced from Japan. The marine plant constituting this branch 

 of trade is the Sphcsrococcus cartilagineus, variety setaceus of Agardh, which is 

 found throughout India in extraordinary plenty. It is eaten by the Salangane or 

 Esculent Swallow (^H'lrundo esculenta Lin.^ properly Cypselus), for the purpose of 

 employing it in the construction of its nest. The mass, after being changed into a 

 jelly in the stomach of the Bird, is again thrown up, and by its means the nest 

 adheres together. This remarkable Indian Birds-nest comes to China in a raw state, 

 besmeared with dirt and feathers, where it is cleansed in a large warehouse by instru- 

 ments specially adapted for the purpose, and then consists of nothing else but well- 

 soaked S. cartilagineus. On its being thus prepared, it is usual to add a very 

 large quantity of seasoning, when it deserves to be placed in the first rank of Chinese 

 delicacies. The Japanese have long since discovered the method of preparing the 

 substance of this nest in an artificial manner. After having been pulverized, the Sea 

 Weed is boiled down into a thick jelly, and is then drawn out into long threads in 

 the same manner as Vermicelli or Macaroni. It is then brought for sale under the 

 name of Dschin-schan. The Dutch call it Ager~Ager. These Birds-nests, whether 

 genuine or counterfeit, are used by the Chinese for sauce, which are served up with 

 their meat-dishes ; but the Europeans resident in China prefer it in the form of 

 jelly, for which use the Dschin-schan, or Ager-Ager, is well adapted. By means of a 

 single boihng, they convert the dried substance into a jelly, which is served up in 

 wine or the juice of fruit. The dried Dschin-schan is sometimes cut into large pieces, 

 and put into thick gravy; it is dissolved in about a minute, and then assumes the 

 form of transparent Vermicelli. 



We have dwelt thus at length upon this substance, because there has been so much 

 discussion as to the properties of Carragheauy which is nothing else than the dried 

 Sphcerococcus crispus, found in large quantities on the western and northern coasts 

 of England, and probably resembles the setaceous variety of the S. cartilagineus. 

 But we can by no means believe that any other quality can be assigned to the jelly 

 thence obtained, except one purely nutritive, and which does not overload the oro-ans 

 of digestion. — From the German of Meyen^ — Reise umdie Erde — CMeyens Voyage 

 round the Earth.) Bd. II. S. 276. 



Red Snow produced by a Fungus — Mr F. Bauer ascertained that the Red 

 Snow of Baffin's Bay, observed by Captain Ross, was produced by a new species of 

 Uredo, which he has termed Nivalis. The size of a globule of this fungus he found 

 to be the 1600th part of an inch. 



Subdivision I. — Pa.chydacttli. 



GEOLOGY. 



On the Foot-marks of Birds, in New Red Sandstone. — It has oeen a 

 matter of some surprise to geologists, how there should be an aknost entire absence of 

 Birds among organic remains found in rocks. Till lately, all that have been disco- 

 vered are those mentioned by Cuvier, consisting of nine or ten specimens found in the 

 tertiary gypsum beds near Paris. All the cases of fossil birds noticed by previous 

 writers are regarded by Cuvier as unworthy of credit. Hence any new discoveries 

 m this interesting branch of Oryctology are valuable to the geologist. 



It was mentioned in our last Number, that Professor Hitchcock of Amherst Col- 

 lege, North America, had discovered in the new red sandstone of the valley of the 

 Connecticut, in five different places, the foot-prints of at least seven extinct species of 

 birds, which, in all probability, may each represent a distinct genus. All these are 

 imprinted, in regular succession, representing the continuous track of a biped, either 

 walking or rimning, the right and left feet always appearmg in their proper places 

 alternately, as represented in the following figures : 



The intervals between the foot-prints are subject to some variation, but not more 

 than may be accounted for, by supposing the animal to have quickened its pace, or 

 the reverse. These foot-prints resemble the tracks which may be seen left by that 

 order of birds called Grallce or Waders, on the muddy margin of a lake. Some have 

 three toes distinctly impressed, as in figures 3, 4, and 5, while others have a fourth 

 toe or hallux, as in figures 1 and 2. 



Professor Hitchcock proposes to include all the different impressions discovered by 

 him under the generic term Ornithichnites, signifying stony bird-tracks. These 

 he subdivides into I. Pachydactyli^ or thick-toed; 2. Leptodactgli, or slender- 

 toed. In the former subdivision, the toes are of almost equal thickness through 

 their whole extent, except that they are somewhat tuberous ; and they terminate 

 rather abruptly ; not, however, without a claw. In the latter, the toes are much 

 narrower, and less thick, with an unequal span. 



O. Giganteus. — The length of the foot, exclusive of the claws, is fifteen inches ; it 

 has three toes, and in one specimen the claw is at least two inches long, and even 

 then a part of it appears to be wanting. In general, however, it is not more than 

 one inch, but seems to be broken off. The whole foot, consequently, is sixteen or 

 seventeen inches 1 The length of the successive steps, varying from four to six feet! 

 The toes are somewhat tuberculated ; the inner one, in some specimens, distinctly 

 exhibiting two protuberances, and the middle one three, although less obviously. 

 The average thickness of the toes, one inch and one fourth ; and their breadth two 

 inches. 



The ordinary step is supposed to be four feet, as most of the foot-prints were that 

 distance apart; six tracks in succession of this species being found in one spot of this 

 average; and the greater distance of six feet, seems to indicate a rapid movement of 

 the animal. From the length of step, indicated in the sandstone, the bird must have 

 been about twice the size of an Ostrich, or its head elevated from 12 to 15 feet above 

 the ground. The length of the leg of the African Ostrich is about four feet, and 

 that of the foot ten inches. The Professor says, ** Incredible almost as this description 

 may seem, the specimens which I have obtained of this enormous species are, never- 

 theless, more satisfactory perhaps than any other species. The whole cavity made 

 originally in the mud by the foot of the bird has been filled by a siHceous concretion, 

 differing somewhat from the surrounding rock ; so that the latter may be in a good 

 measure detached, and the former be left standing out very naturally from the rock 

 — presenting, in fact, a petrifaction of the entire foot." The foot-marks of four 

 individuals all pointing in one direction, having been noticed here, shows that 

 they must have moved along nearly together, rendering it probable that this species 

 was gregarious. Found at Mount Tom Quarry. 



The other species of this subdivision is the 0. tuberosus, which is much smaller 

 than the former, being only from seven to eight inches in length ; the length of 

 step measuring from twenty-four to thirty-three inches. Also from Mount Tom. 

 In a quarry to the east of this locality, the prints of another individual were found, 

 which measured only four inches. They agree with those of the tuberosus, and may 

 be the young of that bird, but are in the meantime termed 0. dubius. 



Subdivision II. — Leptodactyli. 



O. ingens. — This bird has also been three-toed; the foot measuring from fifteen to 

 sixteen inches, exclusive of the hairy appendage, attached to the heel, or hind part of 

 the foot. No visible impressions of the plumlet have been noticed in any of the speci- 

 mens which were found. The toes are much narrower than in the O. giganteus ; they 

 are quite divaricate, and gradually taper to a point, at a few inches behind the heel. 

 The most perfect specimen exhibits a depression nearly an inch deep, and several inches 

 across; the anterior slopes to which, in the rear, appear as if large bristles had been 

 impressed upon the mud. This leads to the probabihty that the bird possessed a 

 sort of knobbed heel covered with wiry feathers, which sunk into the mud when 

 the track was deep. The impression of the bristles extends backwards from the 

 heel at least eight or nine inches, so that the whole length of the foot-print is not 

 less than two feet. The length of the step appears to have been six feet. 



The rock on which this species of track appears is composed of a fine blue mud, 

 such as is now common in ponds and estuaries; and where the bird trod upon it, in 

 some cases, it seems that the mud was crowded upwards, forming a ridge round the 

 track in front several inches in height. *' Indeed," Professor Hitchcock remarks, 

 " I hesitate not to say, that the impression made on the mud appears to have been 

 nearly as deep, indicating a pressure nearly as great as if an Elephant had passed over 

 it. I could not persuade myself, until evidence became perfectly irresistible, that I 

 was examining merely the track of a bird." 



In the quarry at Horse Race, impressions were discoverea exactly similar to those 

 of the ingens J but only twelve inches in the length of foot; and the step raeasurinir 

 from forty to forty-five inches. This the Professor inclines to consider a distinct 

 species, but, in the meantime, has named it a variety of ingens, 



0. diversus. — Three-toed, with a hairy appendage in the rear; length of the 

 foot, exclusive of the hairy appendage, from two to six inches ; length of the step 

 varying from eight to twenty-one inches. A great vai'iety of specimens are included 

 under this specific character, from want of definite lines of demarcation. There is a 

 variety named clarus, in which the foot-print, exclusive of the hairy appendage, is 



