230 Gleanings. 
tile, but a mammal, belonging to a peculiar extinct family. It 
has the ear formed as in the mammals, viz: a helix, and a tym- 
panic bone, as in the whales. It has, moreover, two occipital 
condyles, and in the whole formation of the cranium no trace of 
reptile structure occurs, but on the contrary, every thing is as in 
mammals. 
The vertebral column is very peculiar in its structure. The 
cervical vertebrae, probably more numerous than in any other 
mammal, are \f ithout perforations in their transverse processes; 
the ribs are only attached to the transverse processes of the verte- 
brae; at the central and posterior part of the column, the bodies 
of the vertebrffi are usually long, and must both at the anterior 
and posterior portion of the extremities have been cartilaginous, 
inasmuch as we find here beneath the bony shell a mass of pure 
stone, while the central part of these vertebrse consists wholly of 
bone. — Am. Jour, of Science. 
Botany and Zoology. — Description of a supposed new species 
of Columba, inhabiting Mexico, by Geo. A. McCall. (Proceed- 
ings of the A.cademy of Natural Sciences, Philad'a, July, 1847.) 
Colmnha Solitaria. — Length 13 inches 9 lines; alar extent 23 
inches; wing, from the flexure, 7 inches 5 lines; tarsus 1 inch; 
middle toe 1 inch 2 lines; first toe 9 lines, and longer than the 
third; nails light flesh color; feet and legs deep red; Iris dark 
orange; bill above 1 inch 1 line, but feathered to within 5 lines 
of the tip; reddish near the base, whitish near the tip. Head 
chocolate blue; throat chocolate white; neck and breast bluish 
chocolate, with brilliant reflections. Back, belly, flanks, under- 
wing coverts and greater exterior wing coverts light red color, 
the last faintly bordered with white. Lesser wing coverts cho- 
colate red, forming a bright shoulder spot of eliptical shape. 
Quill feathers dusky, tinged with lead color on the outer vanes. 
Third primary longest. Upper and under tail coverts blueish lead 
color. Tail 5 inches, slightly rounded, of twelve feathers, dusky. 
Individiials of this fine species, which in general contour, re- 
sembles Columba cenas, were found on the Rio Grande, from 
Metamoias to Camargo; these were shy and only met with at 
intervals. They were again observed on one or two of the 
smaller water courses between the former place and Victoria, hut 
never in flocks; nor were more than half a dozen seen any where 
in a single day while hunting over large extents. Their haunts 
were in the neighborhood of running streams or ponds of very 
clear water: rarely four or five might be found scattered over 
some 20 or 50 acres; thus showing little sociability even on their 
feeding grounds. But most frequently he is found alone, perched 
near the water, or with rapid wing shaping his solitary course 
