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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
neighbourhood to eat.” In his description of the adolescence of the young 
grasshopper the writer rather gives the rein to his imagination. He says : 
“After a few hours fooling around on the ground, the young grasshopper gets 
on a bush or a stalk, hangs on by his feet, and his wings begin to unfold, 
and in ten minutes he is ready to fly, when he goes up in the air, winks at 
the farmer with one eye, and goes to harvesting, without money and without 
price.” A volume of “ Episodes of Insect-life ” in this highly popular style 
would probably be a considerable success. 
The Zoology of the Caspian Sea. — The zoology of the Caspian Sea has 
recently been studied by Mr. Oscar Grimm, with important results. He has 
found in this great salt lake 120 animal species, and states that the 
whole number existing there must exceed 150 species. His discoveries 
include 6 new species of fish (a Gobius and five Benthophili ), 20 species of 
mollusks, ( Rissoa dimidiata, Hydrobia caspia, H. spica, H. stagnalis with 
two varieties, Eidima conus, Neritina liturata, Lithoglyphus caspius , Bythinia 
Eichwaldi, Planorbis Eichwaldi, sp. n., Cardium edule and var. rusticum, C. 
caspium, C. crassum, C. trigonoides, Adacna vitrea , A. edentula, A. plicata , 
A. Iceviuscida, Dreissena polymorpha , D. caspia, D. rostrifoi'mis, and some 
other terrestrial and fluviatile mollusca), a Bryozoan (Boiverbankia densa 
Farre, in which the colonial nervous system may be admirably seen), and 
about 35 species of Crustacea, among which we find the family Gammaridre 
in particular represented by colossal forms and Idothea entomon in consider- 
able quantities. Then there are 20 species of worms ( Sabellides octocirrata ), 
numerous Turbellaria, two Sponges ( Reniera Jlava, sp. n., or perhaps a 
variety of R. alba, O. Schm., and another Reniera in the larval state), and, 
lastly, 13 Protozoa, among which are 6 new species. 
Remarkable Structure of Young Fishes. — Dr. Giinther, of the British 
Museum, has recently discovered that the young of the sword-fishes and 
Chcetodons are in structure exceedingly different from the adults. In the 
young Chcetodon the front of the body is shielded with large bony plates, 
in one species produced into three long, equidistant horns, which diverge 
ray-like from the body. In the sword-fishes the scapular arch is prolonged 
into a horn at the lower part, and the ventral fins are wanting. There is no 
sword, but the jaws are long, of equal length, and both are furnished with 
teeth. As the fish grows, the scapular horn disappears, the ventral fins 
grow, and the upper jaw is developed in excess of the lower. The long 
teeth disappear, and the upper jaw grows into the toothless, sword-like 
weapon which gives the fish its peculiar character. 
Change of Skin in Menopoma. — Mr. A. II. Grote has observed the change 
of skin in that curious North American Batrachian, Menopoma allegha- 
niense. The wide mouth of the animal was opened several times to its fullest 
stretch, by which means the skin was parted on the lips and then rolled back- 
ward over the head. The whole cuticle was previously separated from the 
surface of the body, forming a sort of transparent veil, and the Menopoma 
soon withdrew its front legs from their old skin by a series of jerking 
moments. Then the animal moving forward, the whole pellicle was swept 
back by the resistance of the water until it was folded against the hind legs. 
The Menopoma then turned sharply round, and, taking the skin in its mouth, 
drew it over the hind legs and tail. The skin was held in the mouth 
for a time and finally swallowed. (“ Silliman’s Journal,” Dec. 1876.) 
