Notes . 
412 
[June, 
According to Dr. Chapman, of Philadelphia, the placentation 
of *e elephant is non deciduate, diffuse in character, with a 
zonary form. 
The management of the Philadelphia Academy is still a 
burning question in the American scientific press. The Ame- 
rican Naturalist ” quotes a statement of the leading i, th^ 
the Academy ” to the effeft that “ original research was not the 
sole obiedt of the Society;” and again, that no part ot tne 
museum or library can be held in reserve for the exclusive use 
of any class of specialists.” On these utterances our esteemed 
contemporary remarks that research requires the “ exclusive use 
of material as long as the research may last. 
Mr W Trelease, writing in the “ American Naturalist,” quotes 
from Kirby and Spence instances of the carnivorous habits of 
the honey-bee. 
Referring to the fertilisation of flowers by humming-birds, the 
same writer states that the ruby-throat visits a very large propor- 
tion of the plants of North America. 
The total quantity of gold got in Victoria during the last three 
months of 1879 was 209,411 ounces. 
Mr. F. W. Rudler announces, in the “ Mineralogical Maga 
rine” the occurrence of celestine strontium sulphate) in the 
New Red Mari at Sidmouth. He describes the crystals as the 
finest he has ever seen in form, lustre, and transparence. 
After much controversy the Hyamodon has been restored by 
Prof Gaudry to the situation originally assigned it in l8 3 8 . b y ** 
discoverers, Laizer and Parieu, i.e., among marsupial carnivores 
such as Thylacoleo and Dasyurus. 
Dr H Trautschold, of Moscow, maintains that the level of 
the ocean is getting lower, and the total quantity of water on the 
surface of the globe diminishing. 
It appears that, with few exceptions, Australian trees flourish 
.. in California as in their native country. It is hence, 
conversely, to be expetfed that the native vegetation of Culforma 
?an be successfully acclimatised in Australia, ana that the crops 
which succeed V the one country are likely to do well in the 
G Boericke recommends perosmic acid along with oxalic acid 
for ^oloming microscopic objefts. The sevens or pieces of 
tissue are steeped for an hour in a I per cent solution of per- 
osmic acid carefully washed, and then immersed for twenty four 
hours in a saturated solution of oxalic acid ; peculiar co dura- 
tions are observed when examined microscopically in water o 
glycerin. 
