THIRD PERIOD. 109 



emulously proved their zeal for science: M. Dus- 

 sumier Fonbrune has sent home a variety of ob- 

 jects from the Philippine Isles ; M. Steven, a 

 learned naturalist in the service of Russia, who 

 had passed twelve years in the Crimea and the 

 government of Caucasus, has enriched the bota- 

 nical cabinet with a great number of plants from 

 those regions ; and M. Dumont Durville, lieute- 

 nant of the royal navy, with a herbarium of 

 the shores of the Euxine and the islands of the 

 Archipelago. M. Freycinet has returned from a 

 voyage to the southern ocean, with a general 

 collection, made by the naturalists of the expe- 

 dition (1) ; and captain Philibert, recently com- 

 manded by the government to traverse the Asiatic 

 seas and visit Guyana, afforded such facilities to 

 M. Perrottet, gardener of the Museum, who ac- 

 companied him, that he brought back i58 species 

 of shrubs and trees, from six inches to five feet 

 high, the greater part of which are not found in 

 any garden of Europe (2). To this invaluable col- 

 lection were added several rare birds, and the 

 celebrated gymnotus or electric eel. A number 

 of living animals, and other objects, have been 



(1) M. Guadichaud for botany, and MM. Quay and Gaimard for 

 zoology and mineralogy. 



(2) The vegetables of Cayenne were furnished by M. Poiteau, di- 

 rector of the establishment for naturalising foreign plants in that 



island. 



