1878. ] Zoölogy. 183 
ABSORPTION OF WATER BY Roots.—Vesque gives the following 
results of his experiments: : 
ist. The absorption of water by roots is not proportionate to the 
temperature of the leaves when the latter are surrounded by an 
atmosphere not saturated with moisture. t low temperatures it 
increases only slightly as the temperature rises; but at a certain 
degree fixed for each plant absorption increases rapidly, and at a 
maximum temperature becomes stationary; this maximum varies 
in different species. 
2d. The absorption of water by roots is independent of the tem- 
perature of the leaves when these are surrounded by a saturated 
atmosphere, in the dark, and protected from calorific radiation. 
d. Calorific radiation in the dark acts in a very energetic man- 
_ ner upon transpiration in saturated air, and produces upon ab- - 
sorption the same effect as an elevation of temperature does upon 
leaves which are in dry air—/vom Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 
September, 1877. 
ZOOLOGY. ! 
HOMOLOGIES OF THE EAR-BONES OF MAMMALS, ETC.—Professor 
the incus of mammals, are the quadrate (Gegenbaur), tympanic 
(Owen) of reptiles and birds; the quadrate or suspensorium of 
amphibia, the quadrate, hypotympanic, jugal, hypocotyleal, os 
quadrato-jugal as it has been variously called, of fishes. The ar- 
ticulare of fishes, amphibians, reptiles and birds are homologues 
of the mammalian malleus. The branchiostegal rays of fishes, 
the cartilaginous tympanic ring of amphibians, without homo- 
logue in reptiles and birds, is homologous with the tympanic ring 
1 The departments of Ornithology and Mammalogy are conducted by Dr. ELLIOTT 
