1877. ] Zodlogy. 243 
Tue RAVEN AND THE Sooty TeRN IN WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — 
Some time since I secured here a fine specimen of the American raven 
(Corvus carnivorus Bartram), the first of its species, so far as I know, 
that has been captured in this region. Also last September I secured 
here a good specimen of the sooty tern (Sterna fuliginosa Gmelin) 
which, according to Lawrence, has its habitat in the latitude of Florida 
and Texas. It was killed near the Hoosac River. — SANBORN TENNEY. 
PARTIALITY oF Warre BUTTERFLIES FOR Waite FLOWERS. — 
On a September afternoon I observed in a field where a low white aster 
and a common golden-rod (Solidago) were abundant, twelve European 
cabbage butterflies (Pieris rapæ) fly directly to the less conspicuous but 
white aster, and invariably pass by the yellow flowers of the golden-rod. 
On a following day, however, the white cabbage butterflies on_the same 
spot were seen occasionally to visit the golden-rod, but with an evident 
partiality for the white asters. On the other hand, the yellow sulphur 
butterfly ( Colias philodice) visited the flowers of the golden-rod much 
oftener than those of the aster. — A. S. PACKARD, JR. 
Tue PHENOMENA or DIGESTION IN THE CocKRoAacH. — In a late 
paper on this subject Prof. Felix Plateau concludes that the food after 
being swallowed accumulates in the crop, where it is acted upon by the 
salivary fluid, which is usually alkaline. There the starchy substances 
'are transformed into glucose ; this first product of digestion is here ab- 
sorbed, and is not met with in the rest of the digestive canal. The valv- 
ular apparatus, which does not play the rôle of a triturating organ, al- 
lows small quantities of the matter in process of digestion to pass into 
the middle intestine of limited capacity. 
This median intestine, or stomach, as it is usually called, receives’ the 
Sugar secreted by light glandular caca, the sugar being ordinarily alka- 
line, never acid, neutralizing the acidity as the contents of the crop grad- 
ually increase, transforming the albuminoids into bodies soluble and as- 
similable, analogous to peptones, and emulsionizing the fatty portions. 
Finally, in the terminal part of the intestine are reunited the residues 
of the work of digestion, and the secretions of the Malpighian tubes, 
which are purely urinary in their nature. These researches complete 
and confirm throughout the results of Plateau’s former investigations on 
the digestion of insects, published in 1874. 
Tae Parer Argonaut capturep aT Lone Brancu, N. J. — Some 
little while ago a fisherman caught a strange object, and brought it on 
shore. It was the paper nautilus, the first time, probably, this animal has 
ever come so far north. Dr. Chattle made proposals to have it sent to 
Dr. Lockwood, which elicited a promise to that effect. But an enter- 
prising genius got hold of the fisherman, and the nondescript was put in 
à tub of water and shown up at twenty-five cents a head. The animal 
Was at last thrown away. — Monmouth Democrat. i 
The above occurred in August last, while I was out of the State. On 
