1895.] Zoology. 323 



ing at the microscope and the partial exclusion of air from the prepara- 

 tion. Figures are given of these plastids and of the bacteria. All of 

 which reminds us of the proof of miraculous healing by holy water at 

 certain wells, viz., " the well is with us to this day." The author com- 

 plains that nobody reads his books, but this cannot be charged against 

 the writer who has patiently waded through the whole of this one, to 

 very little profit, however, it must be confessed. The absurdities, how- 

 ever, are not so numerous as in the author's Phytopathology, published 

 in 1868. Therein may be found, full fledged or in embryo, most of 

 the queer notions here set forth and also many others. 



Erwin F. Smith. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Cruise of the Princess Alice.— The zoological material 

 obtained by the Prince of Monaco during the past summer cruise of his 

 yacht, the Princess Alice, is abundant and valuable. The fortunate 

 capture of a sperm whale in the vicinity of the yacht, off the coast of 

 Terceira Island, resulted in the acquisition of some rare specimens of 

 the animal kingdom which otherwise might never have been known. 

 From the Prince's narrative of the voyage we learn that the cachalot was 

 the " catch " of some Portugese whalers with whom the Prince arranged 

 to secure what portions of the animal he wished, especially the brain. 

 Unfortunately some days elapsed before the skull was penetrated, and 

 then the brain was found to be in too advanced a stage of decomposi- 

 tion to be of use for preservation. Meantime a large number a parasites 

 were collected from the stomach, the digestive organs, the blubber and 

 the skin of the animal, and the contents of the stomach secured for 

 examination. While in the act of death the whale ejected several 

 large cephalopods which it had only just swallowed, as was evident 

 from their perfect preservation. These were also obtained by the Prince 

 for his collection. Amongst them were three large specimens, each 

 over one meter in length, of a species probably new, of the little-known 

 genus Histioteuthis ; also the bodies of two other immense cephalopods 

 so different from all hitherto known that it is impossible to place them 

 in any genus or even family of this order. M. Jonbain proposes for 

 them the name Lepidoteuthis grimaldii. One of these specimens is a 

 female, of which the body, or visceral sac after prolonged immersion in 

 formol and alcohol, still measures 90 cm. in length, from which it is 



