The Largest Blood Discs Known. 



199 



observations on account of the interest attaching' to them ; not 

 as evidence to show that the majority of shooting stars never 

 pass out of the earth's atmosphere. Such evidence is not 

 required — the fact being mathematically demonstrable. 



THE LARGEST BLOOD DISCS KNOWN— SINGULAR 

 CAPTURE OF A CANADIAN REPTILE, MENO- 

 BRANCHUS LATERALIS. 



A week or two since we received by post from Canada two 

 glass slides containing numerous blood discs of large size, 

 which at once reminded us of those of the Lepidosiren, bnt on 

 comparison were fonnd much bigger. A few days later came 

 the following interesting letter from a Canadian subscriber, 

 who has not favoured us with his name, but to whom we beg 

 to express our thanks. The Menobranchus of which he speaks 

 belongs to an interesting group, the Ampibia, possessing per- 

 manent gills, and comprehending the Proteus, Siren, etc. 



The letter runs as follows : — 



" I take the liberty of sending yon two slips of glass, upon 

 which you will find specimens of the blood discs of Menobran- 

 chus lateralis, one of the salamander family, inhabiting Lake 



O 



Bxood Discs. — 1. Menobranchus lateralis. 2. Siren. 3. Man. X 300. 



Ontario. It is remarkable for being furnished with both lungs 

 and gills, so as to be able to live either on land or in the water. 

 It is seen occasionally ashore, but usually prefers the water. 

 It much resembles a similar animal fonnd in the Lake of 

 Mexico (Axolotlus pisciformis) , but differs from that species in 

 the number of its toes, of which it has four on each foot, and 

 in having no toe-nails. There is a good likeness of this rep- 

 tile in the " Encyclopsedia Britannica," vol. xix., 8th edition ; 

 but it is in reality cousiderably darker than the picture. They 

 are not often seen here. I have known only five or six taken 

 alive in thirty years. The specimen of which I send you the 

 blood discs was taken by a water-snake, which brought it 



