Fishes. — Mollusks. — Arachnida. 3333 



nous fishes, rather than as belonging to the position in which Cuvier and some others 

 have placed it. I forgot to mention an important point in the anatomy, which is that 

 the fins are articulated to a well-developed carpus. This fish is rather a favourite with 

 the fishermen, as its prey is principally that adversary to their interests, the dog-fish. — 

 John N. Duck ; Kingsdown, Bristol, November 13, 1851. 



Revival of Eels after being partially frozen. — Dr. Kirtland of Cleveland states that 

 last winter, as the frost set in, a number of eels in a mill-pool, incommoded by the 

 subsidence of the ice, effected their escape into some adjoining ponds, from which, by 

 breaking the ice, he obtained about eight or ten bushels in a half-frozen state. " Dur- 

 ing the night they were placed in a cold and exposed room, and were literally as stiff 

 and almost as brittle as icicles. The next morning a tub was filled with them, into 

 which was poured a quantity of water drawn from the well, and they were then placed 

 in a warm stove-room for the purpose of thawing. In the course of an hour or two 

 the family were astonished to find them resuscitated, and as active as if just taken dur- 

 ing the summer. The experiment was repeated with a number of tubfuls during the 

 day, and with similar results." The effects of frost on animal life is a subject to which 

 at the present time naturalists at home and abroad are paying much attention ; and 

 they may add this to their store of facts and data. — Chambers's ' Edinburgh Journal,' 

 November 29, 1851, p. 349. 



Repair of the Shell in Mollusks. — In one of my rambles on the beach at this place 

 last spring, I discovered a shell of the common snail among some seaweed recently 

 cast up, and on its outer surface there stood up, at right angles, a portion of the shell 

 about a quarter of an inch square, precisely like a buttress to a wall. I imagine that 

 some accident had, during the snail's life-time, forced out this portion of shell into the 

 position it now occupies, and a new shell had formed over the place thus laid bare. 

 This notion seems strengthened by the circumstance that the portion of the shell that 

 now covered the place from which the up part appeared to have been raised, was con- 

 siderably paler than the rest of the shell, as if more recently formed. — George Guyon; 

 Ventnor, Isle of Wight, November 14, 1851. 



Curious Action in a Spider. — A short time since I was entertained by watching 

 an action of a spider, which I had never before observed. The insect (if I may be al- 

 lowed the term) was stationed on the outer side of the window-frame, and appeared to 

 be engaged in cleaning its spinnerets ; these organs were protruded, and the hinder 

 pair of feet being joined together, the loop so formed was used by it as a brush. Af- 

 ter three or four brushes the spider would move on a short distance, and then again 

 joining its feet, repeat the manoeuvre. I remarked that the claw of one leg always 

 took hold of the opposite tarsus at some distance from the extremity. The species 

 was not familiar to me ; it was of small size, with elongate abdomen, and variegated 

 markings. Possibly this action may be familiar to those who are better acquainted 

 with the habits of these Octopods. — George Guyon ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, Novem- 

 ber 14, 1851. 



