436 Scientific Intelligence. 



coastal plain. Two colored geological maps, by the IT. S. Geo- 

 logical Survey, based partly on Mr. Darton's work, accompany 

 the volume. 



4. Annuaire G'eologique TTniversel : Revue de Geologic et 

 Paleontologies dirigee par Dr. L. Carez et H. Douville. — The 

 second and third parts of this very valuable Geological Annual, 

 for the year 1890, have been published. 



5. Supplementary Appendix to Travels amongst the Great 

 Andes of the Equator, by Edward Whimper. 147 pp. 8vo, 

 London, 1891, (John Murray.) — This Zoological appendix to Mr. 

 Wbymper's great work, contains contributions from fourteen 

 zoologists, and four pages on the rocks by Prof. Bonney. The 

 figures of insects are admirable. The highest flying butterfly 

 and (with the exception of three or four beetles) the highest insect 

 of any kiud obtained, barring stragglers, is a Colias, described by 

 Messrs. Godrnan and Salvin as C. alticola y it is the same species 

 that was seen by Humboldt and Bonplaud. It was collected at 

 heights between 12,000 and 16,000 feet, and was observed still 

 higher, or above the mean snow-line, which is about 16,000 feet 

 in Ecuador. The Siluroid fish, Pimelodus (Oyclopium) cyclopum 

 of Humboldt's Travels, and afterward described under half a 

 dozen different names, was found to be of one species by Dr. F. 

 Day, confirming thus the view expressed by Dr. Putnam in the 

 American Naturalist, for 1871, p. 694. Five figures are given 

 of it. 



Prof. Bonney states that the specimens examined by him of the 

 rocks of the volcanic mountains of the Western Andes, Cotocachi, 

 Rucu-Pichincha, Corazon, Carihuairazo, Chimborazo and of the 

 Eastern Andes, Cayambe, Antisana, Sincholagua, Cotopaxi and 

 Altar were augite-andesytes containing more or less hypersthene ; 

 those of Pichincha, hornblende-andesyte, with micaceous andesyte 

 at summit; of Iliniza, hornblendic augite-andesite, and the same 

 for much of the Cayambe rock. 



6. Concerning principles which accompany chlorophyll in 

 leaves. Etard (C. R. 1892, Feb. 15). — This paper points out the 

 existence, in chlorophyll-bearing cells, of a triatomic alcohol, 

 Oenocarpol, of a diatomic alcohol, Vitoglyeol, and a monatomic 

 alcohol, Medicagol. It shows, further, the presence in such cells, 

 of a series of new crystallizable substances resembling cholesterine. 

 There occur even crystallized paraffins ; mixtures of these latter 

 doubtless constitute the extractive matters which have been 

 vaguely placed under the general appellation, " wax of leaves." 



G. L. G. 



7. On the structure of the ovule and the development of the 

 embryo-sac in Vincetoxicum. Chattveatjd (Comptes rendus, 

 1892, Feb. 8). — The ovule in this plant appears on the placenta 

 first of all under the form of a minute papula covered by epi- 

 dermis. When this elevation has about five cells, the subepi- 

 dermal cell in its axis increases very much in size, and its 

 protoplasma acquires properties which distinguish it from its 



