SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
139 
Crystals in the Intestines of Artemia Salina. — It has been asserted on 
good authority, that deposits of uric acid are frequently formed in the 
intestines of the larger Crustaceee ; but we are not aware that depositions 
of this substance have ever before been observed in the bodies of Entomo- 
straca. The discovery of their presence in these creatures is due to Mr. 
H. J. Slack, who has found them in very considerable quantity in the 
digestive tube of Artemia. The uric acid presented the crystalline form, 
the prisms being arranged in aigrettes, which bore a decided resemblance to 
the figures of uric acid in the “ Micrographic Dictionary.” He found the 
acid in the form of amorphous masses also, and that the animals whose 
intestines exhibited deposits of this character were much shorter lived than 
the others ; and he frames the following interrogatory generalization : 
“ Does the amorphous condition indicate a rapid deposition, arising from an 
excess of uric acid, incompatible with the little animal’s w T ell-being % ” 
A New Coral. — This has been discovered by M. Grube on the Norwegian 
coast, and presents several interesting peculiarities. A very hard polypary, 
resembling red coral in character, but of a greyish- white colour, forms its 
axis. Its polyps are eight-armed , their coenanchyma being covered with 
calcareous scales, and their mouth being supplied with eight calcareous 
valvules. The polypary is not composed of calcareous matter alone, layers 
of true corneine of a black colour being found alternating with those of 
the lime substance. En passant , M. Grube states that corneine is not 
insoluble in potash, as Valenciennes and others suppose. 
Breeding of Tortoises in this Country. — A female tortoise brought to 
this country about fifty years ago, and allowed communication with a 
male, introduced four j'ears since, laid eggs in July, 1862, which have been 
somewhat artificially hatched, and from which two young reptiles have been 
developed. The female, prior to depositing the eggs r and covering them 
with clay, was seen to make a hole some four inches in depth and having 
a perfectly flat bottom. In this receptacle the ova were laid, each egg 
being about the size of a pigeon’s, and having pretty much the same 
appearance. “ The young ones are kept in a wooden box in a pine-pit, 
with some earth and moss, under which they nestle. They are fond of 
lettuces and strawberries ; but do not eat much. They appear quite well 
and lively, and are now (August) a little larger than half-crowns.” 
The Acclimatization of Honey-Bees. — Dr. A. Gerstacker, in concluding 
a very extensive memoir on the distribution of the honey-bee, observes, 
that the most valuable form for Europe would be the Egyptian, partly on 
account of their beauty, and partly because of their unwillingness to use 
their stings, which appears to be common to all African bees, and is also 
one of the recommendations of the Italian bee. The Syrian bee agrees so 
closely with the Egyptian, that it may prove equally valuable ; and next 
to these in value are the bees of the coasts of Asia-Minor. — “ Annals of 
Natural History,” 3rd Section, 65. 
Power of Annelids to reproduce Destroyed Parts. — <In Siiliman’s 
“ American Journal ” an article appears from the pen of Mr. W. 
C. Minor, in which he denies the truth of Dr. Williams’s assertion, 
that “parts removed artificially are never recovered.” He has him- 
self seen the head reproduced in Stylaria, Nais, and Dero ; and the anal 
