THE A 1 El) IT K BRAN EA N N AT U KAL 1 ST 
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siderably interested in the Maltese Flora, found 
two or three examples of the same plant in the 
valley of Imtahlep ; and in the course of an excur- 
sion that I had with him to Fiddien , towards the 
end of April last, I collected a great number of 
these beautiful plants which were growing in the 
moist earth in the bottom of the valley. 
Lord Kerr afterwards found other examples at 
Boschetto. 
It appears that this has been an exceptional 
year for them ; but I fear that if not “extremely 
rare' . it will not be so easy to find them. 
A. Caj: cana-Ga tto . 
Science Gossip. 
In the course of some excavations in the marl 
beds near Wissenfeld, in Prussia, the remains of a 
huge prehistoric reptile were unearthed. 
Unfortunately the workmen had disperse-., the 
remains ere attention was called to the matter; 
but judging from the dimensions of the vertebne 
and other bones that have been preserved, the 
animal must have been a leviathan in point of 
size. The remains have been taken to Berlin for 
identification. 
Experiments are being made in Bavaria, and in 
the Hartz mountains for the purpose of acclima- 
tising the reindeer. Should the government be 
successful in its endeavours, the introduction of 
these animals will be die means of creating a new, 
and a thriving industry for the peasants of the 
district, for not only may they be utilised as 
beasts of burden, and for agricultural purposes, 
but they are also very prolific, their flesh affords 
•excellent venison for the markets, and they give 
an abundance of rich milk. 
The sponge fishery season has recommenced at 
Lampedusa, and from the accounts that have 
reached us the results of the fishers promise to be 
highly successful from a pecuniary point of view: 
The sponges obtained from the banks are of a 
quality that is much sought after in the market, as 
they are not only much finer in texture but they 
arealso a colour equal to if not superior to the best 
of the Cyprus sponges. 

The Government of Cyprus invite tenders for 
; the sponge fisheries around the Island of Cyprus. 
These industries should afford excellent opportun- 
ities to naturalists for the study of Mediterranean 
Zoology. 
The example, that has been set in Malta, by 
“The Society for prevention of cruelty to animals” 
might, with advantage be followed in many other 
countries around the Mediterranean. The Malta 
Society has given evidence of its intention to pro- 
tect its dumb proteges by issuing to the public a 
neatly printed card containing full directions as to 
the course that should be adopted by a passer-by 
| towards those that illuse their beasts. 
The suggestions are thoroughly practical, and 
easily applied; and there can be no doubt but 
that if carried out impartially, they will be the 
means of considerably mitigating the sufferings of 
the beasts of burden of the islands. 
Copies of the suggestions may be had on ap- 
plication to A. Caruana-Gatto Esqr., 31 S trad a 
Federico, Valletta. 
In the May number of the ' Annals and Magazine 
of Natural History” the Lev. Canon Norman, 
F.B.S., has contributed an interesting article on 
the question as to the validity of Cyclostoma asa 
generic name in conchology. 
After the annexation of Merv, a part of that 
territory, comprising about 386 square miles, was 
formed into a private estate for the Emperor of 
Russia. It lies 28 miles from the town of Merv 
and near the railway station of Bairam-Ali. About 
forty miles from this station an immense dam 
has nearly been completed to check the waters of 
the Mtirgab, which will be used for the irrigation 
of the property. Next spring, when the irrigation 
canals have been constructed, a fifth of the estate 
will be colonised. For this purpose Mohammedan 
settlers from Ferghana 'will be chosen, these being 
best able to endure the dry and hot climate of the 
Merv Oasis, where the thermometer often stands 
in summer as high as from 112° to 120° Falx 
Deutsche Rundschau Bd. XII, 
