Notes. 
1 14 
[February, 
who used to feed it, but withdraw into its shell if anyone else 
spoke. 
J. E. Todd (“ American Naturalist ”) reports an instance of an 
Asihis , about three-fourths of an inch in length, which had suc- 
ceeded in capturing a dragonfly, and was sucking its juices. 
M. E. Blanchard (“ Comptes Rendus ”) argues, from the gene- 
ral identity of the flora and fauna of the African, European, and 
Asiatic coasts of the Mediterranean, that this sea is of recent 
origin. To this it is replied, that the similarity of organic 
forms is explained by the former existence of a neck of land 
connedting Spain and Africa, and another stretching from Sicily 
to Tunis. 
According to M. Rolland the Artesian wells in the oasis of 
Constantine contain several species of mollusks, crabs, and fishes 
found in the surface waters of the region. 
We extradt the following passage from “Light” (December 31, 
1881). Col. Olcott one afternoon visited Forest Hills Cemetery, 
and on the spur of the moment devised the following test : — : 
“ Passing through the greenhouses my attention v/as struck by a 
curious plant, with long narrow leaves striped with white and 
pale green. It was the Draccena Regina. With my blue pencil 
I marked on one of the leaves the cabalistic sign of the inter- 
laced triangles, and requested the Spirits to bring it to me at the 
circle the following evening. I purposely sat at Mrs. Thayer’s 
right hand, and held her hands, when suddenly I felt something 
cool and moist drop upon my hand, and when the candle was lit 
found it to be my marked leaf. I went to the greenhouse , and 
found that the leaf selected by me had actually been broken off.” 
I need make no apology for preserving testimony of this nature 
to the fadts of mediumship so remarkable as Mrs. Thayer’s. 
Col. Olcott afterwards put her in a bag, and otherwise rendered 
her helpless in her normal state, but still flowers, peaches, and 
birds were produced. One point further is worth notice. These 
flowers were of natural growth. Whence did they come ? In a 
few cases from neighbouring gardens ; in most, from an unas- 
certained source. By what means were they severed ? Colonel 
Olcott examined the stalks. “ They had been broken off — not 
short off, but with a thin ribbon of bark at one side ; and around 
the fradture, in almost every case, was a little ring of black, as 
though an eledtrical current had effedled some chemical change 
in the chlorophyll.” This may be significant. 
The age of the Mediterranean has latterly become a subjedt of 
discussion among French geologists. 
M. P. Cazeneuve (“ Comptes Rendus ”) has examined the se- 
cretion of uric acid in birds. He concludes that in different 
