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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
facts relating to organisms from dust-showers and other atmospheric sources, 
adding also the results of new observations. Plate 1 contains numerous 
forms of organisms from recent dust-showers : that of Ispahan in 1870 j the 
Dardanelles to Sicily in 1869 ; Apulia in 1868 $ Janina in 1870 ; Island of 
Sora in 1869 ; Switzerland in 1867. 
Boreal and Arctic Amphipods. — We learn from Silliman’s u American 
Journal” (for January 1872) that Axel Boeck has published a prodomus in 
Latin of the large work on this subject illustrated with thirty-two plates, 
soon to be published by the author. These Amphipod Crustaceans have 
their greatest diversity of forms in the cold latitudes of the globe, and hence 
a work on Arctic and boreal species has a special interest. This prodomus 
contains full descriptions of all the species, and a complete synonomy. 
Animals of the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. — Mr. A. S. Packard, junior, 
has given, in the “ American Naturalist ” (Dec. 1871), an account of animals 
recently collected from the above locality. He says, “ that of all the 
animals found in caves, either in this country or Europe, perhaps the most 
strange and unexpected is the little creature of which we now speak. It is 
an Isopod crustacean, of which the pill-bugs or sow-bug3 are examples. A 
true species of pill-bug ( Titanethes albus, Schiodte) inhabits the caves of 
Carniolia, and it is easy to believe that one of the numerous species of this 
group may have become isolated in these caves and modified into its present 
form. So, also, with the blind Niphargus stygius of Europe, allied to the 
freshwater Gammarus, so abundant in pools of fresh water. We can also 
imagine how a species of Asellus, a freshwater Isopod, could represent the 
Idoteidse in our caves, and one may yet be found ; but how the present form 
became a cave-dweller is difficult of explanation, as its nearest allies are 
certain species of Idotea which are all marine, with the exception of two 
species : I. entomen , living in the sea and also in the depths of the Swedish 
lakes, as discovered by Loven, the distinguished Swedish naturalist, while a 
species representing this has been detected by Dr. Stimpson at the bottom 
of Lake Michigan. Our cave-dweller is nearly allied to Idotea, but differs 
in being blind, and in other particulars, and may be called Ccecidotea stygia. 
It was found creeping over the fine sandy bottom, in company with the 
Campodea, in a shallow pool of water four or five miles from the mouth of 
the cave. 
Conditions of Biological Besearch is the title of a section of Professor Allen 
Thompson’s address to the Biological Department of the British Association. 
This, like all other parts of the address, is full of thought, and is amply 
in keeping with scientific progress. Those who are interested in that 
which unites all branches of natural history and physiology will do well 
to read this address, which we suppose is given in the usual Beport. 
The Mumble Bee at work as a Fertiliser of Plants. — The 11 American Na- 
turalist” lately published a very valuable and lengthy 'paper on Dar- 
winism and fertilisation of plants by insects, in which we find a proof of 
the functions of the Humble Bee as a fertiliser. Subsequently, says the 
writer, referring to two German observers (after speaking of a former 
failure), on the heights of Stromberg, very abundant in Orchis, both 
he and his son were enabled with ease, and close at hand, tc observe 
many Bombi at work. At a place full of Orchis mascula they saw a 
