518 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
THE LATE PROF. W. A. FORBES.—The death of this eminent 
young naturalist adds another to the already long list of those 
who have lost their lives in the pursuit of scientific knowledge. 
He had undertaken an expedition, chiefly for ornithological pur- 
poses, up the Niger River, but, owing to the interruption of com- 
munications, his medical supplies were cut short, and before they 
could be renewed, he fell a victim to dysentery. Among his 
latest papers read before the Zoological Society of London was 
one on two New Zealand birds—Xenzcus longipes and Acantht- 
sitta chloris. Hitherto these two species have been usually 
assigned to the Certhiide, but Mr. Forbes, after minute exami- 
nation of their anatomy, refers them to a new family—Xenzcide@ 
—of Passerine birds, having its affinities “only with the Pipridz 
(including the Cotingide) Tyrannide, Pittidze, and Philepit- 
tidae.”— ED. 
PERIPATUS.—The April number of the “ Quarterly Journal 
of Microscopical Science” contains a paper on the anatomy and 
development of Peripatus capensis, by the late Prof. F. M. Bal- 
four. Just before his death the eminent naturalist was engaged 
in investigating the structure and embryology of this interesting 
species, with the view of bringing out a complete monograph of 
the genus. The notes and descriptions which he left have been 
prepared for the press by Profs. Moseley and Sedgwick, and have 
been superbly illustrated by a series of beautiful drawings, chiefly 
executed by Miss Balfour. Itis intended that the present me- 
moir shall be followed by others, comprising a complete account 
of all the species of the genus. In this connection it may be re- 
marked that hitherto P. xove-zclandi@ appears to have only been 
found in one locality in New Zealand—viz., at Forbury, near 
Dunedin. It is desirable that search should be made in the other 
parts of the Colony, as specimens are in great demand. The 
animals, which resemble slate-blue pipillose caterpillars about an 
inch long, furnished with a pair of short antenne, occur in de- 
cayedtree-stumps. On being placed in spirits, they instantly eject 
a white mucous substance from two papille situated at the sides of 
the mouth. From a private letter received from the Naples 
Zoological Station, we learn that Prof. Meyer is working out the , 
embryology of this species, and is greatly in want of specimens 
In “ Nature,” of 21st June (vol. 28. p 171), Prof. W. T. Thisleton 
Dyer states that “one of our younger embryologists (with funds 
furnished by the Royal Society) is on the point of starting for 
the Cape to study the embryology of Perzpatus.”—ED. 
