Aimales des Sciences Naturelles. 589 
espece, par CH. MOBREN," which is extremely interesting and well illustrated 
" JVote sur unenouvelle espece d'Actinie, par M. DUGES." The species is close- 
ly allied to, if it be not identical with, the Actinia maculata, described by Dr 
Coldstream in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, ix. p. 236 : Extrait 
d'un memoir -e sur la place que doit occuper dans le systeme ornithologique le genre 
Chionis, par M. DE BLAINVILLE. The memoir concludes thus We believe it 
then to be demonstrated, that with the Gallinaceae (even embracing in that fa- 
mily the pigeons, though erroneously as we think,) this genus has the least re- 
lationship, although the alary system is very nearly the same in both, for in every 
other respect there is a complete dissimilarity, as well in the organization as in 
the manners and habits. Between the Waders and the Palmipedes the choice is 
more difficult, because these two orders glide into one another at almost every 
point. However, it is with the Cursores among the Waders, that we find the 
greatest resemblance to Chionis, and among them this is nearest affined to the 
oyster -catcher or Haematopus, whose organization and economy is very similar. 
In these two genera, 1st, the number of vertebrae is the same, 15 6 14 8 ; 
2d, the number and shape of the ribs are the same ; 3d, the sternum, of the 
same general figure, has two sub-equal emarginations, the superior a little larger 
than the inferior ; 4th, the intestinal canal of both has three cceca, of which the 
two terminal are moderately sized, and the median very small ; 5th, the stomach 
is in both formed of a very small gizzard without a crop ; 6th, the tail is short, 
and composed of six pairs of equal feathers ; 7th, the wings, formed of ten quills 
" a la main," are acute ; 8^, the legs are little raised, and naked only towards 
the talons ; 9^, the tarsi, not compressed, are equally reticulated before and be- 
hind ; 10th, the sole of the toes is flattened in a manner that they appear mar- 
gined ; llth, both birds are walkers arid runners ; 12th, they both dwell on the 
sea shores, where, 13^, they seek their food, consisting of shell-fish and perhaps 
of dead animals. It is then near Haematopus that Chionis ought to stand, although 
the figure of the beak is very different, but now where is the zoologist who is 
ignorant that the consideration of that part is of little importance in deciding 
the natural affinities of birds ? Extrait des Recherches sur la marche de ^ossifi- 
cation dans le sternum des oiseaux, pourfaire suite aux travaux de MM. Cuvier 
et Geoffroy St Hilaire, par M. F. LHERMINIER. 
In the '* Analysis" of the month there is an abstract of the following papers 
read before the Academy : Lettre de M. ROULIN sur {'existence du Guacharo dans 
la province de Bagota. Education des vers d soie. Reflections sur I'He- 
teradelpline,par GEOFFROY ST HILAIRE Gras observations relatives a 1' Acarus 
scabiei Lettre de M. KAUP sur la tttefossile du Dinotherium giganteum 
Revision de lafamille des Anolis, par M. COCTEAU. M. C. D'ORBiGNYswr des 
ossemens fossiles des environs de Paris. 
2. Botany. 
July. Observations sur les Biforines, organes nouveaux situe"s entre les vesi- 
cles du tissu cellulaire desfeuilles dans un certain nombre d'especes vegetales ap- 
partenant d la famille des Aro'idees, par M. TURPIN. A most important and 
beautiful essay. C. MONTAGNE sur les Plantes cryptogames recemment decou- 
vertes en France. These notices are very similar to those with which Mr Ber- 
keley favours British botanists through the medium of this Magazine Labiate 
orientales herbarii Montbretiani, seu Labiatarum species novae vel minus cogni- 
