AND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



119 



edf'e. Of the two molares, the anterior is much larger ; both are similar in form, trans- 

 verse, with two external tubercles, one internal, and a projecting margin. 



In the lower jaw the incisors are smaller, rounded, with an external lateral process, 

 the two outer considerably larger. Canini close to the incisors, smaller than those 

 above, and more curved. Of the laniarii the first is very small, rounded, with a pos- 

 terior shoulder; the rest nearly equal, with anterior and posterior shoulders, the last 

 one with two posterior. The next tooth, which is the largest, combines the two forms, 

 its anterior part being sharp-edged with two points, the posterior, lower, with four 

 unequal tubercles. The first grinder has four tubercles, and the last, which is very 

 small, has three. 



The fur is rather soft, pretty close, longish, and consists of a fine woolly covering, 

 and long hairs of a stifGsh texture ; the tail bushy ; the hair of the limbs and face 

 short ; the soles covered with hair, excepting the tuberculous eminences on which they 

 have been worn. 



The general colour is yellowish-red, pure on the sides of the neck and chest, and 

 lower sides of the abdomen, mixed with white hairs on the shoulders, thighs, upper 

 flank, sacral region, and tail. The snout and lips are blackish ; the inner surface and 

 edges of the ears whitish, outer part of the ear pure black. Tail pale greyish-yellow, 

 the tips of the hairs brownish-black, its extremity white to the length of about three 

 inches. Lower part of the cheeks, fore part of the neck, lower surface of the body, 

 inner thighs, pudic region, a narrow line down the fore part of the leg, and the hind 

 and inner part of the fore legs, greyish-white. Fore part of all the feet, brownish- 

 black, that colour extending from the toes to near the cubital and knee-joints; hair 

 of soles deep red ; claws light brown ; mystachial bristles black. 



The male and the female are precisely similar in external appearance; nor does 

 there seem to be much difference in size. 

 Dimensions of two individuals ; 



Male. Female, 



FT. IN. FT. IK. 



From the tip of the nose to the root of the tail 2 6 2 4^ 



Length of the tail (not including the hair) 1 4 1 3Jt 



Total length (including the hair) 4 3 10 



Height at the shoulder ),, ,, -^a r.i.vv\(16 16 



„ . , , [• (foUowmg the flexure of the limbs) J 



Height at the rump i (174 '7 



From the nose to the occiput 7 7 



The second variety is similar to the first, but smaller, with the limbs shorter, the 

 colour of a deeper red, and having a larger mixture of white hairs on the parts men- 

 tioned. 



Of the Dog Fox the following is a description taken from a male shot in Peebles- 

 shire, in December 1835. The general colour is yellowish-red, the forehead, shoul- 

 ders, and haunches with greyish-white hairs interspersed. There is a dark patch be- 

 tween the mystachial bristles and the eye, and the lower jaw is dusky. Edge of upper 

 lip, base of lower, throat, and fore neck, with a short band down each humerus ante- 

 riorly and internally, and another on the middle of the breast, greyish-white. The 

 lower parts of the body are brownish-red ; the axilte and groins light red ; the scrotal 

 hairs yellowish-white ; outer surface of ear black, inner pale greyish-yellow. Legs 

 dark brownish-red, fore part black from the toes up to the cubital and knee-joints ; 

 hind part of the hips deep red ; tail yellowish-grey, the tips of the long hairs brown- 

 ish-black, the extremity of the same colour ; claws yellowish-grey. 



FT. IN. 



From the tip of the nose to the root of the tail 2 3 



Length of tail 1 3 



Total length (hairs of tail included) 3 8 



From the nose to the occiput 6A 



A skin and skull of a Fox procured in Sutherland by Sir William Jardine, who fa- 

 vored me with the inspection of them, belonged decidedly to the fourth variety, the 

 Mastiff Fox. The skull greatly exceeds that of the other kinds in the width of its 

 lygomatic arches, and the size of the cerebral cavity. The fur is longer and coarser, 

 of a duller red, and much intermixed with white hairs ; the lower parts light grey, 

 and the extremity of the tail white for about three inches. Respecting this variety I 

 am unable to furnish any further particulars, not having had an opportunity of late of 

 examining a recent individual. 



I have reason to believe that similar varieties exist in other JMaramaUa inhabiting 

 this country. For example, the Red Deer of Lewis and Hai-ris are much smaller 

 and of a dunner colour, than those of the mainland. Of the Weasel, there is a va- 

 riety much inferior in size to the common ; and of the Water-Rat I am aware of three, 

 the common brown, the black, and an intermediate kind. The latter, as well as the 

 black, may be a distinct species, it being considered as such in the neighbourhood of 

 Keith, where it is said to lay up a store of potatoes for whiter provender. 



Whether the different kinds of Fox above described breed together, or remain dis- 

 tinct, is as yet unknown, nor are we in possession of any positive knowledi'e as to 

 their pecuhar habits. 



The Siskin Breeds in Scotland — The following notice, interesting as affording 

 evidence of a fact hitherto doubted, was handed to us by Mr Carfrae, preserver of 

 animals, Edinburgh. The Siskin is a common bird in all the high parts of Aberdeen- 

 shire, which abound in fir woods. They build generally near the extremities of the 

 branches of tall fir trees, or near the summit of the tree. Sometimes the nest is found 

 m plantations of young fir wood. In one instance I met with a nest not three feet 

 from the ground. I visited it every day until four or five eggs were deposited. During 

 incubation the female showed no fear at my approach. On bringing my hand close 

 to the nest, she showed some inclination to pugnacity, tried to frighten me away with 

 her open bill, following my hand round and round when I attempted to touch her. 

 At last she seized a firm hold of my finger, and held fast. I visited her almost every 

 day, and could with perfect confidence stroke down her back. As last she would 

 only look anxiously round to my finger, without making any attack on me. The nest 



was formed of small twigs of birch or heath outside, and neatly lined with hair 



/. M. Brown, Abergeldij. 



BOTANY. 



THE WATER TREFOIL, OR BOGBEAN MENVANTHES TRIFOLIATA. 



This plant, which is generally distributed in Britain, growing abundantly in marshy 

 places, peat-bogs, and by the sides of lakes and pools, is one of the most beautiful of 

 our native species. It belongs to Pentandrla inonogynia of the Linnrean system, 

 and to the natural family of Gcntianece. The root is perennial, long, creeping, 

 jointed, and sends out numerous verticillate white fibres. The leaves are alternate, 

 petiolate, ternate, the leaflets obovate, thick, smooth, and deep green. The flower 

 stalk rises to the height of from sis to ten inches, and supports an oblong or conical 

 raceme of numerous very beautiful flowers, which are pentapetalous ; the corolla pre- 

 vious to expansion rose-coloured externally, afterwards reddish-white, the petals on 

 the inner surface covered with numerous fiinge-like white filaments. 



"^V^. 



^'i^ 



ir-^>. 



/ 



All parts of this plant are extremely bitter, and in some countries it is used as a 

 substitute for hops in the preparation of ale. The root, although almost equally 

 bitter, Linnaeus informs us, is dried and powdered by the poorer people in Lapland, 

 to be made, with a little meal, into a coarse unpalatable bread. In this country the 

 plant is not applied to any u<!e, if we may except its occasional employment in some 

 parts of the north of Scotland, as a purgative for calves. Formerly it was much em- 

 ployed in various chronic diseases, as scurvy, dropsy, jaundice, asthma, and gout, the 

 paroxysms of the latter of which complaints it was supposed to keep off, but at pre- 

 sent it is neglected on account of the preference given to gentian and other bitters. 

 There can be no doubt, however, that, as an astringent and stomachic, it is equally 

 powerful with many exotic plants. 



MISCELLANEOUS, 



ON VARIETIES NO. II. 



(^Continued from Page 116.} 



A^roNGST articulated animals (and I believe in most cases where any organ or part 

 is greatly multiplied), we observe instances of the number of legs being indeterminate, 

 such as Julus indicus. Another instance is found in Aphrodita aculeata. We also 

 observe that extraordinary form of variety noticed above in certain fishes anil in shells, 

 consisting of a transfer of certain structures ordinarily peculiar to one side of the 

 animal to the opposite side. This is seen in our common Lobster, in which the 

 knobbed claw and the serrated claw exchange sides as it were capriciously, I say 

 capriciously, because, in this instance, unlike those remarked in fishes and shells, there 

 is no predominating arrangement of these organs. 



But besides these more remarkable forms of variety in the lower grades of animals, 

 there are others less notable, generally dispersed. The Hercules Beetle is said to 

 vary so extensively in size, as to have raised doubts occasionally whether these 

 variations were not entitled to specific consideration. The Tarantula has several 

 varieties differing in regard to the quality of the hair. Varieties in regard to colour 

 are of frequent occurrence. All the Echinidae are disposed to vary extensively in this 

 respect; more than thirty varieties as to colour have been observed in Echinus 

 angulosus. Many species vary also largely in structure and shape, particularly in 

 their spines. Thus there are four varieties of Echinus cidarisj all determined by the 

 form of the spines. 



In the extreme grades of animal organization, in which the aspect at least of vege- 

 tables is assumed, we find the differences between individuals in the same species 

 carried to their highest pitch. Between these and absolute varieties no line can any 

 way be drawn, although something must be allowed for oui- very imperfect knowledge 

 of these plant-like animals. Yet authors have been pleased to enumerate varieties 

 occasionally, and in these very considerable amounts of difference are set forth. Thus 



in CoraUina rubens three varieties occur, distinguished by structural peculiarities : 



See Fleming's British Animals, p. 514. Halichondria ramosa (Flem. p. 523) has 

 several varieties, in all of which the structure differs greatly ; but I apprehend that 

 in viewing the subject of varieties in these tribes, we should keep in view their near 

 relationship to vegetables, and that in consequence the varieties observed in them will 

 partake of the same affinity. It might, therefore, be reasonably supposed that ia 



