EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 291 



sight towards the horizon, after which the repeated cry ' swee ree' first 

 indicates their return." 



Prof. A. E. Verrill, in the Amer. Journ. Sci., January, 1897, from 

 information forwarded to him, recorded the capture of a gigantic Cephalopod 

 on the Florida coast, the body having been described by its discoverer as 

 eighteen feet in length by ten feet in breadth. Prof. Verrill remarked that 

 the proportions given indicated that it might have been a Squid-like form, 

 and not an Octopus. Additional facts, however, have since come to hand, 

 and it is found that the remains are not those of a Cephalopod at all. 

 Several large masses of the integument of the creature, preserved fairly 

 well in formalin, have since been forwarded to Prof. Verrill, who has now 

 come to the conclusion "that the mass cast ashore is only a fragment, 

 probably from the head, of some large vertebrate animal covered with a 

 blubber-like layer of great thickness." The record of the giant Octopus, or 

 Cephalopod allied to Octopus, must therefore be considered as completely 

 refuted. 



Lieutenant Peary will start his Arctic voyage of exploration about 

 the 10th of next month, having obtained five years' leave of absence from 

 his duties in the United States Navy for the purpose. He will probably 

 be accompanied by three scientific parties, which will land, according to 

 Mr. Peary's intention, on the coast of Labrador, Baffin Land, and Green- 

 land, for the purpose of studying the botany, glaciology, and ethnology 

 of the northern regions. This year Mr. Peary will go to Whale Sound, on 

 the north-west coast of Greenland, and on returning he will pick up the 

 members of the expedition at the three places indicated. We have little 

 doubt that zoology will also receive due attention. 



Two Barbary Wild Sheep and two Tozenburg Goats have been born in 

 the gardens of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland. 



The third edition of ' The Naturalist's Directory ' has this year been 

 issued by L. Upcott Gill. This small volume, published at one shilling, is 

 iutended for the use of " Students of Natural History, and Collectors 

 of Zoological, Botanical, or Geological Specimens, giving the names and 

 addresses of British and Foreign Naturalists, Natural History Agents, 

 Societies and Field Clubs, Museums, Magazines, &c." Zoologists who 

 possess this small book will find it one of handy reference, and can add to its 

 value by forwarding any corrections and additions, which should be included 

 in the next edition, to the publisher, as the Editor's name is not given. 



