SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
Ill 
Italian savant. Delpino’s papers are translated in full in Scientific Opinion 
for November, and tbis journal also contains Mr. Darwin’s reply. It would 
be impossible for us to abstract either, but those who are at all interested in 
philosophical zoology should read these papers for themselves. 
Pseudo- Scorpions. — One of the best, thoroughly zoological and anatomical, 
papers on this group which we have met with for some time is that of Mr. 
McIntyre, in Science Gossip for November. It is full of illustrations, and 
gives the practical observations of one of our earnest workers in the natural 
history of this and kindred groups. Physiologically the facts on fecundation 
recorded are of importance. 
The late Professor Sars . — Since our last number Science has lost one of 
her most distinguished and devoted students. The Professor of Natural 
History in Christiana has passed from among us. His labours are too well 
known to need any comment of ours. 
The Anatomy of the Alcyonidce is the subject of a memoir presented to the 
French Academy on Nov. 22, Ijy M. Pouchet. 
New Species of Fishes. — Herr Steindachner, continuing his researches, has 
presented to the Vienna Academy a description of the following nine new 
species of fishes, forming part of the Imperial Museum of Vienna : Genyoroge 
canina, Mesoprion guttatus , Heros Jenysii, Clupea ( Alosa ) notacanthoides, Clupea 
setosa, Leptocephalus macidatus , Leptocephalus Peruanus, Solea Mazatlana , 
Abramocephalus microlepis. The characters of the new genus Abramocephalus 
are : form of body like that of species of the genus Hypophthalmichthys ; 
pharyngeal teeth in a single row, four on each side, on the vertical ramus, 
cuilih'e- shaped, masticatory surface finely striated ; belly sharply cari- 
nated. 
The Lav ) of Symmetry in Animals . — A lecture on this interesting subject 
was delivered some time ago before the Royal Dalton Society, by Professor 
Macalister, and was reproduced in Scientific Opinion (Nov. 17). Dr. Mac- 
alister enters into some questionable mathematical calculations. 
The Polypterus of the Senegal. — M. Dumeril called the attention of the 
French Academy (Oct. 18) to a work in German upon the fishes of the 
genus Polypterus of Senegal, by Herr Steindachner of Vienna. One of the 
species described by the German naturalist resembles the Polypterus of the 
Nile described by Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, but differs in certain peculiarities. 
Its length was from eighteen to nineteen Vienna inches, it possessed a tran- 
sition respiratory organ, and a gill with a single branchial tuft. In one 
other species— that of Cuvier — the branchiae also exist, but they disappear 
when the fish reaches a length of four or five inches. These fishes, 
according to M. Dumeril, approach the Amphibia Urodela known as 
Axolotls. 
The Development of the Ovum in My sis . — The very valuable memoir on 
this subject by M. Ed. van Beneden is published in the Bulletins of the 
Belgian Academy. The following are the leading conclusions deducible 
from the author’s elaborate enquiries : — 1. The blastoderm is formed in the 
course of a partial segmentation of the vitellus. 2. The cellular zone which 
results from the multiplication by division of the cicatricule extends itself 
over the whole surface of the egg, to form a closed blastodermic vesicle, 
before any trace of organs is seen. 3. The division of the embryo into a 
