276 * NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 
earliest known assemblage of domestic animals, the horse, pig, goat, 
sheep, and ox,” and the cakes and seeds found in their dwellings prove 
that they were acquainted with agriculture. Nearly contemporaneous, 
or perhaps earlier, lived a similar race in Scandinavia, in whose refuse 
heaps occur the bones of the Great Auk (Alca impennis), which, during 
ie century, has become extinct in Europe and North aT Aba and 
he Oyster, which they largely fed on, has also disappeared from the 
Paiti Sea. “The habits of this race were PT similar 6 the 
sayages of Tierra del Fuego at the present day. 
The *“ Bronze-using Folk arrived in Europe before the dawn of aaa 
tory, and lived there up to the time when history begins They 
were acquainted with the use of the potter’s wheel, aid were in the 
habit of burning their dead.” They used the horse, and had flocks 
and herds. 
The Iron Age came in before the Romans invaded Northern Europe, 
as they met the Gauls riding in chariots, armed with iron weapons, on 
the battle-field. 
How far these distinctions apply to other countries than Europe, 
even in the old world, and how far they agree with the very incom- 
plete history of ouf Aboriginal refuse-heaps, eae and relics of 
American prehistoric races, remains yet to be s 
MICROSCOPY. 
Tae VOLVOX AND Irs Parasire.—-In examining with the micro- 
scope some specimens of reer globator,” one was found contain- 
ing one of the Rotifera, a female of Notommata Parasitica (mentioned 
by Pritchard as sometimes found in such a situation). When first 
seen it was feeding, picking out the green masses composing the Vol- 
vox, and swallowing them, occasionally shifting its position and se 
lecting a fresh spot. Two eggs had been deposited, and another 
could be seen in the ovary; they were of a reddish tint, and filled 
With granules. There was no sign yet of organized structure. . 
‘hove hours after, the Rotifer was dead, but = young could 
Jae broke through t the jäin him, and, after à few 
energeti NS ee and i i ig ne na abon! nterior 
of his pri but did make it 
ezg-shell or membrane left } akad i was very ry delicate and transparent, 
- without dots or mark the aperture broken off by the animal being 
plainly visible. The other egg would have soon hatched, as the anii 
notion within it, but unfortunately th l = 
VW LCE I 
