472 Scientific Intelligence. 
and the comparative description of the fruit of the different genera 
daclnded by older writers under Callithumnion. The fertilization 
of Polyides, similar to Dusan. is referred to, but will proba- 
bly be figured later. The work of Agardh is an encyclopedia i in 
which one may find the name of any /Joridic more easily perhaps 
than in any other. The work of paula and Slate has a differ- 
ent object. Determination of names by a what artificial 
grouping is subordinated to a true i Eno wiedne of ‘the relations of 
alge through a study of their minute anatomy and develo ome nt. 
Ww. 
11. Nuttall reettets Aut Club.—Bulletin No. 8, for saptetibled 
contains, besides various miscellaneous notes, a paper . 
Allen on the Pearcage of Birds in Massachusetts one by ‘Dr. 
Elliott Coues on the number of Primaries in Osc one by 
Samet “gciaee on the Yellow-bellied Woollbesker " phyrale 
cus v 
12. a Ones of Practical Instruction in Elementary Biology, 
by T. H. Huxixy and H. N. Marrry. Second edition, revised. 
280 pp. 8vo. London and New York. 18 76. (Macm millan & Co.) 
13. On Casting the skin in Menopoma Alleghaniense; by 
A. R. Grore. A es fo Seine observation has been recently 
made by Mr. Grote on a specimen in the aquarium of the Buffalo 
Society of Natacsl Sciences. The wide mouth is opened several 
times to its fullest extent, by which means the skin is parted on 
the lips, and then rolls backward over the head. Before this, the 
Lo aR pellicle was observed to be loosely surrounding the 
surface of the animal from which it had separated. By short 
jerky pot eniends the ee shee then withaiee its front legs from 
the old skin. The 3 mal next moved in a for ward directo’: 
e 
Menopoma then turned _Shortly round on itself, an taking be 
was retained in *the mouth and subsequently swallowed The 
whole operation was quickly performed. 
lV. ASTRONOMY. 
1. Intra-Mercurial Planet.—In his discussion of the theory of 
Mercury, Mr. Le Verrier found reason to believe in the existence 
of a planet, or of matter enough to form a planet, revolving arou 
the sun within the orbit of Mercury. An observation of Mr. 
Weber, of Peckeloh, of a black round spot seen by him last — 
upon the sun, has revived the question, though Weber i is proved 
by observations at Madrid and Greenwich, to have seen only an 
Spo 
From nearly thirty observations within the last 115 years of 
spots supposed to have been such a planet, Mr. Le Verrier selects 
ten as most worthy of confidence, because the spot is reported to 
have been in motion. Of these, five are in March and October, 
ee” | En et ee ee eee) ee ks eee te ee 
2S Eee regi Lee eX” Sey ee ee 
