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THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



the ice-house, so that it was not liable to the damp of the surrounding earth, and al- 

 lowed a free circulation of air around its exterior. The corn was placed so as to fill 

 tlie case to within a yard of the top ; three layers of loose planks were placed at a 

 third of a yard distance between each, and the roof was then formed of thatch, and 

 in a conical shape. The experiment has lasted twelve years, and been constantly at- 

 tended wiih satisfactory results. The same grain has remained there for three years, 

 without the slii=;htest alteration, and, what is remarkable, some newly-threshed corn 

 which had been completely wetted while it was measured in the open air, having been 

 placed in the case, was three weeks afterwards found to be as dry and glossy as flax- 

 seed. — AthencEuni. 



Changes of Colour, in Birds. — In an excellent paper on the Hares of the 

 United States and Canada, by the Rev. Dr Bachman of Charleston, S. C, are the 

 following observations on this subject : — " In birds, as well as in quadrupeds, there are 

 some s])ecies in which great changes of colour take place from the younir to the adult 

 state, and also at different seasons of the year; the question is often asked, whether 

 this is effected by a gradual change of feathers, or of hair, or by a sudden moult in 

 birds, and a shedding of the hair in animals. I am inclined to the belief, from many 

 experiments on animals and birds in captivity, that Nature, in effecting these changes, 

 does not proceed with uniforaiity in all the species. I have observed in the Yellow- 

 crowned Warbler, Sylvia coronata^ that the change occurs by a sudden moulting in 

 spring ; and in a very few days it changes its homely dress, with which it came to us in 

 autumn, for its bright nuptial livery of spring and summer. The St/lvia petechia is, 

 during autumn and winter, so nearly of the colour of the S. coronata, that they can- 

 not, without careful examination, be known from each other. In spring, this bird 

 becomes olive-;j;reen on the back, beneath j tallow ; the head at the same time becomes 

 uf a bright chestnut-bay colour, In this state of plumage, Bonaparte has described 

 it as a different species, S. pahnarnm. In this bird al^o the change is effected, as 1 

 have observed on an examination of more than fifty specimens, by a moulting of the fea- 

 thers from the Jsl to the 15th of March, in Carolina; and it, in the course of two 

 weeks, receives its bright summer plumage. On the other hand, there are many 

 birds in which these changes take place slowly, and by a somewhat different process : 

 the gradual fading or brightening of the feathers immediately after a moult. Thus 

 i have seen the young of the Whooping Crane, Grus Canadensis^ undergoing its 

 mutations. A pair of these biids, when nearly two years of age, as they increased in 

 siiie, began gradually to change their colours. I was in the habit of visiting them 

 every two or three days during four or five months. They had just moulted; many 

 of their new feathers were still sheathed. I could, at every renewed visit, perceive 

 that the plumage was continually becoming lighter, till at last they were nearly pure 

 'vhite ; and I was gratified to find my previous conjectures correct, that the birds I 

 had so anxiously watched were Whooping Cranes, Gnis Americanus. A male of 

 the Summer Duck, Anas Sponsa, which 1 have preserved in an aviary for some years, 

 loses its brilliant plumage at the time of moulting in summer, and continues for se- 

 veral weeks afterwards in the plain liveiy of the female, when the feathers begin to 

 brighten gradually ; fr^m day to day the change continues, until, after the expiration 

 of a. few weeks, the bird assumes all its bright and beautiful plumage. 



All our birds that assume one set of colours during six months of the year, and 

 different ones during the other six months, appear to moult in spring as well as in 

 suinmei-. ]\ly examinations have extended to the Sylvia coroiiata^ Fr'ingilla savan- 

 na, Friufjilla Pennsylvanica, Sylvia petechia. Char adiius IJelvcticus, Strepsilas 

 tnierpreny and several specxs of Sterna and learns. 



0k.>'1THOL0gical Logic. — In his remarks on Gould's Birds of Europe, Mr Wood, 

 the Editor of the Naturahst, has the following note: — '• Red Ptarmigan, Lugopus 

 Britannicus, Tetras rouge, Fr. The British ornithologist feels a peculiar interest in 

 this species, as it has never been known to occur out of the British Islands ; but 

 since, as every sportsman knows, it is so abundant on the heaths of Cumberland, West- 

 moreland, Yorkshire, Wales, and many parts of Ireland, surely we cannot encourage 

 the monopoly of our northern brethren by continuing the name L. Scoticus." The 

 original name of Tctrao Scoticus was not given to the bird in question by the " north- 

 frn brethren;" but having been imposed and received as genuine, and being moreover 

 correct as the species is a native of Scotland, although also of England and Iieland, it 

 must be retained, the species however being referred to its proper genus, Lagopus. 

 Is Pandicilla Suecica, so named by Mr Wood, as well as others, peculiar to Sweden ; 

 or Piectropkanes Lapponica to Lapland ; or Sterna Anglica to Fvngland ; or are a 

 hundred and fifty other birds named after particular sections of the world peculiar to 

 those spots ? If not, let the catalogue be revised, and we will consent to adopt the 

 proposed alteratmn in the name of our Ptarmigan ; but, in the meantime let it be 

 honoured with the name of a country abounding in that heather in which it delights 

 to dwell. 



HvBEK-NATioN OF SwALLOWs M. Isidorc Gcoffioy, in his zoological instructions 



drawn up for the new scientific expedition to the north, calls upon naturahsts tn ob- 

 serve any facts which they may meet with concerning the hybernation of Swallows. 

 In consequence of this, M. Dutrochet communicates to him, that he found two of 

 these birds in a state of torpor, in a recess, formed in the wall of a building. On being 

 warmed by the hand they flew away, proving thereby that Swallows are occasionally 

 capable of wintering in a nortViern climate. 



Galvanic Telegraph., — The highly scientific mode of making instantaneous te- 

 legraphic communications by galvanic power, wWich has so long been considered at- 

 tainable, has already been put to the most decided test on the London and Birming- 

 ham railway, under the direction of Professor Winston and Mr Stephenson, the en- 

 gineer to the Company. Four copper wires, acted upon at each end of the line at 

 pleasure, by the aguncy of very simple galvanic communicators, have been laid down 

 on the line of the London and Birmingham railroad, to the extent of twenty-five 

 miles. They are inclosed in a strong covering of hemp, and each terminus is attached 

 to a diagram, on which tlie twenty-four letters of the alphabet are engraved in rela- 

 tive positions, with which the wires communicate, by means of moveable keys, ai'd in- 

 dicate the terms of the oouimunication. The gentlemen are fully satisfied that com- 



munications to almost any extent may be made instantaneously by the agency of o-al- 

 vanism. — Quarterly Journal of Agricidtui e. 



Atholl Forest. — It is said that there are 7000 Red Deer in the Athol. Forest, 

 and the number is not over-rated, if the extent of ground, of which they have the 

 undisturbed possession, be any criterion. The Roe Deer also are numerous in the 

 different plantations of the country. The Fox, the Wild Cat. the Marten, the Pole- 

 cat, the Weasel, and the Alpine Hare, are common. The Rabbit, the Squirrel, and 

 the Rat, have lately made their way into the country, and have increased so rapidly 

 as to become troublesome and destructive. — New Statistical Account of Scotland. 



REVIEWS. 



A History of the British Zoophytes. By George Johnston, M.D. W. H. LIzars, 

 Edinburgh; S. Highley, London; W. Curry, Jon. and Co., Dublin. 



This important work is lecommended to the lovers of Natural History, not less by 

 the very pleasing manner in which it is written, than by the scrupulous accuracy of 

 description which it displays. An accomplished scholar, as well as an acute observer, 

 the author has so illustrated what is technical by the choicest selection of what is 

 common to the affections of all persons of cultivated faculties, that his work, while it 

 affords a clear view of a class of animals hitherto little studied on account of the want 

 of sufficient guides, is calculated to interest even those who satisfy themselves with a 

 vague contemplation of the beauties of Nature, or derive pleasure from the familiar 

 exposition of her wonders. 



The first part is devoted to a history of Zoophytblogy, and the structure,^ physio- 

 logy, and classification of Zoophytes. Restricting the term Zoophyte to those 

 creatures " which in their form, or most remarkable characters, recall the appearance 

 of a vegetable or its leading properties," he defines the class thus. — Animals averte- 

 brate, inarticulate, soft, irritable and contractile, without a vascular or separate re- 

 spiratory or nervous system ; mouth superior, central, circular, edentulous, surrounded 

 by tubular, or more commonly by filiform tentacula ; alimentary canal variable ; where 

 there is an intestine the anus opens near the mouth ; asexual ; gemmiparons ; aquatic. 

 The individuals (Polypes) of a few families are separate and perfect in themselves, 

 but the greater number of Zoophytes are compound beings, viz. each Zoophyte con- 

 sists of an indefinite number of individuals or polypes, organically connected and placed 

 in a calcareous, horny or membranous case or cells, forming, by their aggregation, 

 corals or plant-like Polypidoms. The arrangement which he adopts, or rather ela- 

 borates, is as follows. 



Subclass I. Radiated Zoophytes. Body contractile in every part, symmetrical ; 

 mouth and anus one ; gemmiparons and oviparous. 



Order I. Hydroida. Polypes compound, the mouth encircled with roughish fili 

 form tentacula ; stomach without proper parietes; reproductive gemir.ules pallulatino' 

 from, the body and naked, &c. 



Order II. Asterotda. Polypes compound, the mouth encircled with eight fringed 

 tentacula ; stomach membranous, with dependent vascaliform appendages ; reproductive 

 gemmuies produfied interiorly, &c. 



Order III. Ilelianihoida, Polypes single, free or permanently attached, fleshy, 

 naked or encrusted with a calcareous Polypidom, the upper surface of which is crossed 

 with radiating lamellae; mouth encircled with tubulous tentacula; stomach membranous, 

 plaited, oviparous, &c. 



Subclass II. MoLLUsC/iN Zoophytes. Body non-contractile, and non-sym- 

 metrical; mouth and anus separate; geramlparous and oviparous. 



Order IV. Ascidioida. Polypes aggregate, the mouth encircled with filiform cili- 

 ated retractile tentacula : a distinct stomach, with a curved intestine terminating in 

 an anus near the mouth ; ova internal. Polypidoms horny and fistulous, or calcareous, 

 membranous, &c. 



The second part of the work, necessarily more extended, is composed nf a history 

 of all the British species, including characters of the orders, families, genera, and 

 species. Besides the technical descriptions, we are favoured with numerous and 

 often highly interesting historical notices, referring to the structure and physiology of 

 the animals described, their uses, discoverers or describers, and other points. Some- 

 times quaint, and frequently antiquarian, although never obscure or antiquated, some 

 of our author's scientific friends, if consistent with themselves, mast deem him an 

 affected imitator. We, on the contrary, are delighted with those pecuharitles of style 

 and manner which contrast so strongly with the dry didactic details, and awkward 

 attempts at freedom of speech, of persons who do not always succeed in spelling their 

 names, much less in constructing a sentence according to rule. It is pleasant, too, 

 to be reminded of." the charming Hippothoa and rosy-armed Hipponce," Nereids of 

 old Hcsiod ; or of Drayton's 



" Antheia, of the flowers that hath the general charge. 

 And Syrinx of the reeds, that grow upon the marge.'* 



The descriptions are illustrated by forty-four plates, and numerous engravings on 

 wood, for all which the drawings were made by the author's accomplished consort, 

 *' by Mrs Johnston, who is herself the engraver of fourteen of them. The naturalist 

 who may have attempted similar illustrations will appreciate the labour, perseverance, 

 and skill that has been bestowed upon them, and will not harshly censure any errors 

 of detail which a minute criticism may discover." The discovery of these errors we 

 leave to the envious, and conclude our brief notice of a work that deserves all com- 

 mendation, by expressing our wish that it may quickly be dispersed over the land, and 

 inspire in those who peruse it some of that spirit of unaffected piety which has dic- 

 tated many of its most beautiful passages. 



EDiNiiURGii: Published for the Proprietor, at the Office, No. 13, Hill Street. 

 London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 65, Cornhill. Glasgow and the West of 

 Scotland: John Smith and Son; and John Macleod. Dublin: Georgs 

 Young. Paris: J. B. Balliere, Kuede I'Ecole de IVIedecine, No. 13 bis. ■ 



the EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY. 



