70 Bibliographical Notices. 
illustrated account of the Polycystina,also a new Scalaria, Ehrenhergi, 
and two Nuculce, Parkeri and Schomhurgki, described by Prof. E. 
Forbes. 
The botanical portion, prefaced by a few general introductory re- 
marks, contains a list of the Barbados plants ; to the scientific names 
are added the vernacular names by which they are known in this 
island, and frequently the French or other foreign names used in the 
adjacent colonies. It contains all the species indigenous, natural- 
ized or cultivated, the two latter being distinguished by the addition 
of the name of their native country. Next follow alphabetical arrange- 
ments of the vernacular names, one English and another foreign, 
which referring by numbers to the scientific lists will be useful to 
local botanical students, and are not without importance to us at a 
distance. A single new species, a lichen, Endocarpon jlavidum, 
Taylor, is described. In the zoology the different classes are treated 
seriatim ; after an account of the zoophytes, we come, under the head 
of Insecta, to some interesting details concerning the Sugar Ant 
(^Formica omnivora, L., Myrmica omnivora, Latr.), whose ravages 
have often so fearfully interfered with human industry. They 
showed themselves first in 1760 in Barbados, and our author states, 
on the authority of Dr. Coke, that “ it was deliberated whether that 
island, formerly so flourishing, should not be deserted ” on account 
of the dreadful devastation they caused. It appears that these ants 
do not actually feed on any part of the sugar-canes or the leaves of 
trees, but make their nests under the roots, which protect them from 
heavy rains, and, being firmly fixed in the ground, place them in se- 
curity against the agitation of the usual winds. The stool of the 
sugar-canes is firmly attached to the earth, and almost impenetrable 
to rain ; the trees of the orange tribe afford similar advantages to the 
insects, while the coffee, cacao, plantains, &c. are not molested. 
The ants apparently live entirely on animal food, and not only attack 
dead substanees, but living bodies ; thus small animals and poultry 
perish when not assisted, and it beeomes necessary to guard the eyes 
of cattle by a circle of tar, to prevent them from being blinded. The 
destruction of these creatures was attempted with poison and fire 
during the “plague” following 1760, but all attempts proved inef- 
feetual till the hurricane of 1780, before the violence of which the 
Sugar Ant disappeared. In 1814 they again made their appearance 
and caused considerable injury, but soon disappeared. They are 
still to be found in Barbados, but only in small numbers. The Great- 
headed Ant or Cushi, Formica cephalotes, Fabr., is equally destructive, 
attacking the leaves of trees and of vegetables, such as the sweet 
potato, cassada, &c. The White or Wood Ant {Termes devastans, 
Kollar) is another of the plagues of Barbados. 
Among the enemies of the sugar-cane are enumerated the Borer 
or Yellow Blast, the grub of one of the Pyralidee, Diatrcea sacchari, 
Guilding, which burrows into and feeds upon the interior of the stems ; 
the Grougrou Worm, the larva of Calandra palmarum, Fabr. (which 
is eaten by some of the creoles and considered a great delicacy) ; and 
Calandra sacchari, Guilding, the Large Borer. Since the hurricane of 
