556 General Notes. [ May, 
delicate layer, formed by cellular tissues and smooth muscular 
fibres ; on its internal surface there are projecting lamellz, which 
increase the extent of the secreting surface; below this, is a layer 
of prismatic cells, which are filled with protoplasm, containing in 
suspension, and in abundance, fine rounded granulations, which are 
characteristic of the poison of the scorpion, and hide the nuclei, 
which only become apparent on the addition of acetic acid ; these 
are the cells which elaborate the poison, and from which it escapes, 
by the rupture of the cells, into the central cavity of the organ. 
Physiologically, this poison is very active, and that in direct re- 
lation to the quantity introduced; one drop is soon fatal toa 
rabbit and still more active on a bird; seven to eight frogs may be 
killed by one drop, and the hundredth part of one is fatal to an 
ant of large size. It would appear to affect the nervous system, 
and has undoubtedly a marked action on striated muscle, sup- 
pressing spontaneous and reflex t— Journal of the Royal 
Microscopical Society. 
Tue HABITS OF THE SNAKE BirD.—The mechanism of the neck 
in the darters (Plotus) is treated by W. A. Forbes in the Proceed- 
ings of the London Zodlogical Society. The darters feed entirely, 
so far as Mr. Forbes had been able to observe, under water. 
“ Swimming with its wings half expanded, though locomotion © 
effected entirely by the -feet, the bird pursues his prey ge 
fishes) with a peculiar darting or jerking action of the head an 
neck, which may be compared to that of a man poising a spear Of 
harpoon before throwing it. Arrived within striking distance, ee 
darter suddenly tranfixes, in fact, bayonets, the fish on the ope . 
its beak with marvelous dexterity, and then immediately ooa 
the surface, where the fish is shaken off the beak by jerking per 
cently dead bird leaves little doubt as to the mechanism by whi “i 
this peculiar impaling of the prey is effected. The eighth ae 
cal vertebra is articulated with the seventh in such a way 
two cannot naturally be got to lie in the same li 
an angle, open forwards, of about 145°, when peer aan 
s r ' l, . ; e al- 
‘It is obvious that considerable advantage is gunn ier" 
tion in question, the rapid protrusion of the narrow nee apan 
oped a ants, etc.; w 
ped form in the neck of the herons, cormor these parts it a 
quires but aslight modification of the arrangement of theseF ie 
those birds—none of which, so far as I know, impale their PS a 
