ZOOLOGY. 771 
column. In fact the Arachnactis has now become a diminutive 
Edwardsia, with eight partitions from which are suspended ovaries 
of different lengths, as we find them in Edwardsia.*— A. AGassiz. 
Swamp Rassir (Lepus Aquaticus).—This is a widely distributed 
species. It abounds in the canebrakes of Alabama, Mississippi, 
Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. It is found in the portion of 
country I have named, on all the watercourses, even on the little 
branches, rarely on uplands. Its flesh is considered the best, most. 
digestible and most nutritious of all the small game. In sugar-cane 
countries it subsists principally on the leaves of the cane. To 
procure the leaves of the tall cane, the rabbits will stand on their 
hind feet and cut the cane in two about fifteen inches from the 
ground. Being surrounded on all sides with other canes, the stalk 
cannot fall, but dropping straight down by the side of the stump it 
remains standing, when the rabbit stands up again and cuts it off as 
in the first instance, when it drops a second time, and so on, the ani- 
mal continues to cut off fifteen inch sections until the top of the 
cane with its leaves comes down low enough to allow the rabbit to 
feed on it. Many of these little piles of cut up cane are seen in the 
cany bottoms of the rivers and creeks of Mississippi. Here in 
Texas where there is Ĥo cane, it feeds on various grasses and some 
_ of the wild herbage. Like the old field rabbit, when chased by dogs 
it seeks refuge in hollow trees, holes in the ground, ete. ‘When it is 
captured it squeals fearfully and its heart beats audibly. — GIDEON 
Lincecum, Long Point, Texas.— Communicated by the Smithsonian 
Institution. 
‘Tue Sarr Laxe Crusracean.— A peculiarity of the little crus- 
 tacean (Artemia fertilis Verrill), living in the waters of Salt Lake, 
which ought to be noticed is that of its congregating in masses of 
strange appearance in the water. When the masses are small 
they sometimes stretch out so as to have the form of a serpent. 
At other times they represent rings, globes and various irregular 
figures. A gentle breeze does not affect the water filled by Arte- 
mia, so that while the water on all sides of these dense congrega- 
tions is slightly ruffled, that which they occupy remains as if 
= Covered by oil, thus indicating the figure of the mass. My atten- 
of 
W- 
t . oe this — has not been mentioned beter’ nor the irregular pae 
les varying fi eighteen t 
2. the development of the tentacles | 
har doting in common with the aia 
