Notes . 
1879-] 
327 
Feronia group — a circumstance which ten years ago would have 
been deemed most unlikely. 
Mr. J. W. Slater, writing in the “ Entomologist,” shows that 
the larvae of gnats, midges, &c., instead of being sanitary agents, 
intensify the putrefaction of organic refuse suspended in water. 
At a recent meeting of the Biological Society of Paris, M. 
Bert described the results of his experiments on the temperature 
of the brain. In a state of absolute inaction, bodily and mental, 
the temperature of both sides of the head is equal ; but as soon 
as any brain-work is undertaken, if the equality does not con- 
tinue, the left side always shows the higher temperature. 
According to M. Raymond, in cases of paralysis the temper- 
ature is higher in the parietal region than over the rest of the 
cranium ; and here, again, the left side is found hotter than the 
right by 0*3 to 0-4 of a degree C. 
At another meeting of this Society (March 1st) Dr. P. Bert 
described experiments made to elucidate the influence of the 
cerebral hemispheres upon the capillary circulation. One hemi- 
sphere of the brain of two axolots, a black and an albino respect- 
ively, and also of a bat, was removed. No modification of the 
capillary circulation resulted. There was produced, however, a 
bilateral paralysis of the chromotaphores of the skin, and the 
animal lost the power of changing its colour under the influence 
of emotions. 
At a meeting of the Bordeaux Societe des Sciences Physiques 
et Naturelles, Dr. Azam gave an account of an interesting case 
of double consciousness and scission of personality which has 
been under his observation for many years, and which has been 
described in the “Comptes Rendus de l’Academie des Sciences 
Morales.” The patient, Felida X , has, as it were, two dis- 
tinct lives, two conditions separated from each other by a short 
sleep or a torpor of a few seconds. After her return to the nor- 
mal state she is entirely unconscious of what has taken place 
during the abnormal condition, whatever its duration. She is 
more cheerful during this abnormal state than in the normal 
condition. When in the abnormal state she remembers, how- 
ever, anything which has happened in her normal intervals. 
The author, in accordance with M. de Quatrefages, considers 
that the mnemonic cellules are disseminated throughout the 
brain. He formerly thought that they were seated in the right 
hemisphere, because the faculty of articulate speech, which re- 
sides in the left hemisphere, is never affedted in Felida. This 
opinion is difficult to maintain, since the faculty of articulate 
speech cannot adt without memory. 
From a paper read before the Shanghai branch of the Royal 
Asiatic Society, by M. A. A. Fauvel, it appears that a true alli- 
gator — as distindt from the crocodile— has been found in China. 
Hitherto the alligator has been supposed peculiar to the Western 
