SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 559 
the collector a number of new radiating and branching forms, which are 
referred to the genera Phyllograptus, Tetragrapsus, Dichograpsus, &c. 
Professor Rupert Jones publishes a monograph of the Estherite, crusta- 
ceous creatures with a carapace in two pieces, so like bivalve shells that 
they have been referred to as such by the best authorities. The living 
forms all inhabit ponds and fresh water, being rarely found in marshes or 
near the sea. There are fourteen fossil species, ranging from the Old Red 
Sandstone to the most recent strata. The existing forms being all fresh 
water, it is thought likely that the same distribution held good for the 
fossils, and hence that they offer strong suggestive evidence that the 
fishes of the Old Red Sandstone, like their existing allies, had fresh water 
habits. 
The Rev. 0. Fisher has described a bed of peat near Colchester which 
contains the bones of Elephas primigenius. It rests on stratified gravel and 
is overlaid by brick-earth. This peat contains the remains of insects 
differing from British existing species, and from their brilliant colours, &c., 
are thought to have their nearest affinities with those of tropical countries. 
Mr. Fergusson has chronicled the recent changes in the Delta of the 
Ganges. In early historical times, the plains of Bengal were drained by 
the Brahmapootra passing to the sea by Goalparah, and the Ganges which, 
passing Rajmahal, ran parallel to it. Then came the upheaval of the 
Mcdopore jungle, north of Dacca, producing a depression known as the 
Sylhet Jheels, into which the Brahmapootra was diverted by the upheaval. 
The Jheels were gradually filled up, and in the beginning of this century 
the river returned to its former bed. The result of this was that all the 
rivers of the western half of the Delta were re-opened, and should the 
present drainage continue, the two great rivers promise to resume very 
nearly the courses held before the disturbance. He thinks there is sufficient 
historical evidence to demonstrate that 5,000 years ago the fruitful rice 
plains of Bengal were a jungly swamp, with only a few spots on the 
larger rivers which were inhabitable and capable of cultivation. 
MEDICINE, SURGERY, THERAPEUTICS. 
MEDICINE. 
Diseases of the Liver . — Two very important works on the diseases of the 
liver have very recently been added to the medical literature of the 
country ; they both contain some new and really scientific observations, 
based upon studies in physiological chemistry, and are calculated to be of 
service to the medical profession. One work is the “ Clinical Treatise on 
Diseases of the Liver,” by Dr. Freid. Theod. Frerichs, translated by Dr. 
Murchison for the New Sydenham Society. The other work is entitled 
“ Jaundice : its Pathology and Treatment,” by Dr. George Harley, of 
University College. 
It may not be amiss to inform our non-professional readers, that 
since 1853 it has been known that the liver performs another function 
