AND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



59 



of the size of a ewe of the same breed ; and, when they have obtained 

 their full growth, they are about nine feet long, and seven feet in girth. 

 It is not said whether they keep in pairs, for the support or defence of 

 their young. Two individuals, a male and a female, the male distin- 

 guishable by his darker colour, were reposing on a rock in the middle of 

 June. A person, having quietly approached in a boat, wounded one in 

 such a degree that, when afloat, it was unable to dive. The other came 

 to its assistance, swam by its side, and supported it, and succeeded in 

 carrying it off, the sportsman being alone in the boat, and having no more 

 shot, which you know is sometimes as scarce in Harris as in the wilds 

 of Canada. Of this larger sort the head is disproportionately large when 

 the animal is young, but better proportioned when old ; only it always 

 remains coarse, as a grazier would sav ; somewhat flat in front, with an 

 abrupt bend near the nose. 



The smaller Seals which frequent the narrow sounds bring forth their 

 young in the month of June, going ashore for the purpose. But the cub 

 seems to be able to betake itself to the sea soon after birth. It continues 

 with its mother about a month. This cub is at first about the size of a 

 young lamb, being two feet in length when extended, slender, and of a 

 greyish-blue colour, with a whitish tinge; the head very small. The pile 

 becomes dingy, and in about a year is cast, when a beautiful blueish pile 

 appears. When full-grown, this Seal is about six feet in length, and 

 five in girth. The cub of the other or large Seal is of a white colour, 

 with a large head, as already mentioned j whereas the cub of the small 

 sort is blueish, with round, well proportioned, or, as a grazier would say, 

 fine head. 



Seals have only one cub at a time. There are two teats about the 

 middle of the body. The udders extend along the body on each side, 

 becoming narrower at the ends. The milk is white and thick. The 

 stomach is of an oblong shape, becoming more slender below, taking a 

 considerable bend, and tapering away into the intestine, which is narrow 

 and of great length. It is seldom that any thing is found in the stomach. 

 Fergusson, however, killed one in the act of eating a fish. The fibres 

 of the heart are remarkably distinct, and appear to be convoluted in va- 

 rious directions. The lungs and windpipe do not seem to differ much 

 from those of a sheep, but the liver is formed of various portions, all, how- 

 ever, connected. There is a gall-bladder ; and the bladder for urine is 

 like that of other quadrupeds. Such are the particulars related by Ken- 

 neth Fergusson. 



Having resided several years on these islands, we may be allowed to 

 state that the small Seal is the Phoca vitulina of Linnaeus, Desmarest, 

 Jenyns, Bell, Hamilton, and others. The large species is the Grey Seal, 

 Phoca Gryphus of Fabricius, or Halichcerus Gnyplius of Nilsson and 

 Bell. 



On the change produced on man's temperature, by passing into 

 different latitudes. — During the recent voyage of the French discovery 

 ship, La Bonite, MM. Eydoux and Souleyet made an extensive series 

 of accurate observations upon the temperature of man and animals 

 throughout the wide range of latitude they traversed, the results of which 

 have been laid before L'Academie des Sciences, by M. de Blainville, and 

 which lead to the conclusion that man's temperature increases in advanc- 

 ing into a warm latitude, and diminishes when he retires into a cold ; — 

 while, at the same time, the change is quite as small as our preconceived 

 ideas would have led us to believe. 



The observations were made upon ten of the crew of La Bonite of 

 different ages and temperaments, but all subjected to the same regimen, 

 and nearly to the same occupations. They began in the month of August 



1836, while the vessel was at Rio-Janeiro, and were continued every 

 day at the same hour, 3 p. si., till the ships arrived in France in November 



1837. The number of observations amounted to 4000. The tempera- 

 ture of these individuals fell very gradually in passing from warmer into 

 colder regions ; and rose much more rapidly when, on the contrary, they 

 returned from these cold latitudes into the torrid zone : and the double 

 change is much more marked in some individuals than in others. The 

 mean temperature exhibited by these men when examined at Cape Horn, 

 when the external temperature was at the freezing point, showed only an 

 approximative difference of one degree, to the mean temperature they 

 gave in the Ganges, near Calcutta, with the thermometer standing at 

 104°. Hence it follows, that a variation of 72° of external temperature 

 produces in, man's body a variation of temperature amounting to only 

 one degree (Annales des Sciences Nat. T. IX. 190.) 



On the habits of the water-shrew. — (JSorex Fodiens.) — D. W. JJ. 

 Clarke, now in Edinburgh, has lately published, in our esteemed contem- 

 porary, " The Magazine of Natural History," an interesting account of 

 the Habits of the Water-Shrew, which we shall introduce into our pages. 

 D. Clarke informs us, that whilst walking by the side of the river Gipp- 

 ing, between Ipswich and the village of Sproughton, he observed several 

 of these animals in a dyke that runs parallel to the river. These little 

 creatures were in such rapid motion on the water, that its surface was 



thrown into a state of quick undulation, though the djke was at least 

 four feet wide. At times they would be upon the surface, moving at a 

 rapid rate between the blades of the aquatic plants, then they would dive, 

 and for a while remain beneath, but always, on returning to the top, dis- 

 playing the greatest rapidity in their movements. Whilst above water, 

 they were constantly repeating their faint, though shrill, tremulous 

 squeak, which appeared expressive of pleasurable sensations. 



On visiting the spot the following evening, I had an opportunity of re- 

 marking the movements of these little creatures on land. I found be- 

 neath a slightly hanging bank, and close to the water side, a long gallery, 

 which, though in a great measure naturally formed, yet had been greatly 

 improved by the Shrews, as a convenient viaduct between one hunting 

 place and another. The grasses and other plants had been removed, as 

 well as here and there small portions of earth, in order to render this 

 passage as commodious as possible. The passage was mostly above the 

 water level, but at intervals there were depressions where the water 

 passed over its floor. It was evidently the common property of the 

 shrews, as several were continually running backwards and forwards, 

 along its whole extent, and ultimately taking to the water, swimming up 

 and down the ditch, diving, and performing curious evolutions in search 

 of their insect prey. They swim upon, and under the surface of the 

 water with equal rapidity ; and when beneath, the hair upon their bodies 

 so completely repels the water, that the entangled air gives their bodies 

 the brilliancy of silver, as they pursue their course. On emerging from the 

 water their coat appears quite dry, but this is further insured by the little 

 creature shaking itself on landing. When travelling along the gallery, a 

 tremulous shriek is always heard when two shrews pass each other; 

 and the same thing occurs, though not so invariably, in their movements 

 in the water. When a shrew secured an insect it quitted the water, and 

 ascending a convenient stone, or projecting root of a tree, or other similar 

 body, at its leisure devoured its prize, steadying it with its fore paws, 

 whilst it nibbled, apparently with the greatest enjoyment, one or other of 

 the extremities. I once traced a pair of shrews into a small hole in a 

 bank by the side of the ditch, where I had been in the habit of driving them, 

 and in attempting to secure them, I carefully removed the earth, when I 

 found that although the entrance was scarcely larger than just to allow 

 two shrews passing together, yet it led into a very spacious vestibule, 

 with numerous galleries, so extensive there was no possibility of ascertain- 

 ing their full extent, without removing the greater portion of the bank. 

 These animals are much infected with parasitical acari. 



Mr Schomburgk on the Species and Habits of the Armadilloes of 



Guiana While ascending, says Mr Schomburgk, a hill, at the foot of 



which our tents were pitched, the Indians set the savannahs on fire. A ge- 

 neral bustle of those who had remained in the camp soon attracted my at- 

 tention. I saw the men armed with bows and arrows, and, accompanied 

 with their dogs, under full cry in pursuit of some game. The chase was of 

 short duration, and, on reaching the spot where the pursuers had come to a 

 stand, I found that an Armadillo of gigantic size, which, no doubt, had 

 been chased by the flames from its retreat, had caused the commotion. 

 It was lying a round misshapen mass, its head partly buried under its ar- 

 mour, the feet drawn together, and its body pierced by numerous ar- 

 rows. It offered not the slightest resistance to its tormentors, whom I 

 desired to end its sufferings by a heavy stroke of a club. Mr S. now 

 left the carcase with the full intention of returning and minutely examin- 

 ing it ; his disappointment, accordingly, was great when he presently found 

 it was cut up by the Indians, and boiled for the sake of its oil. Two 

 men were required to carry it, and Mr S. estimated its weight at from 1 10 

 to 120 pounds ; its height was about three feet, its length five and a half. 

 Its tail was about fourteen or sixteen inches long, and its root nearly as 

 thick as a man's thigh, tapering very abruptly. The middle one of the 

 five toes of the fore-foot was seven and a half inches in length. In 

 size it greatly surpasses the largest Giant Armadillo known, (Dasypus 

 giganteus, Desm.,) though Mr S. does not mean to assert it is a different 

 species from the giganteus; yet its enormous size will attract the attention 

 of naturalists and geologists to the fossil genera. A specimen of the 

 genuine giganteus is alluded to, which weighed 701bs. The third species 

 is the D. encoubert of Desmarest, with six or seven bands ; a fourth, the 

 D. Peba, Desm., the most common in Guiana, about 18 inches long, and 

 the tail as much. Fifth, the Savannah Armadillo is the D. villosus, 

 Desm. The Indians say it occasionally feeds on carrion ; and both the 

 shell and body are covered with hair. The D. tatouay is the sixth, with 

 twelve or thirteen moveable bands ; and the minuius is the last, its 

 body being ten inches long, covered with numerous brown hairs. 



All these resemble each other in their habits and appearance ; and their 

 form, number of claws, and dentition, supply the Naturalist with the spe- 

 cific distinctions. They all burrow, and their general food appears to be 

 worms and insects ; they sometimes commit depredations in the provision 

 grounds, and the Indians agree in asserting that the Giant and Savannah 

 species feed on carrion. When about to bring forth, the mother is said 



