Notes . 
435 
1883.] 
M. Ch. Brongniart has published a treatise on a new fossil 
insert from the carboniferous strata of Commentry, and on the 
entomological fauna of the coal-measures. 
According to M. R. Blanchard (“ Comptes Rendus ”) the 
pyloric appendages of fishes digest energetically cooked starch ; 
they art more feebly upon raw starch, and transform the albu- 
menoids. They cannot emulsify and split up the fats, and are 
imperfert representations of the pancreas. 
Dr. Langendorff (“ Archiv. Anat. Phys.”) asserts that in inserts 
the nerve-centre for respiration is not in the head, as they can 
breathe for some time after decapitation. 
The strange account of a haunted house in Berkeley Square, 
which we extrarted some time ago from “ Light,” re-appears in 
the “ Squire,” though in a slightly different form. 
Dr. Gerlach (“ Naturforscher ”), in an investigation on double 
monstrosities, shows that the presence of two arece pellucidce , of 
two distinrt germinal vesicles, upon one yolk, is distinrtly esta- 
blished. In Mammalia the confluence of two embryos during 
their development is possible. 
According to H. H. Smith (“ American Naturalist ”) some of 
the wild honeys of Brazil are violent purgatives, and some even 
decidedly poisonous. 
It is said (“ Light ”) that a spring of water flowing at the rate 
of 1000 gallons hourly has been discovered, at Avonmouth 
Docks, by means of the divining-rod. A Mr. Lawrence made 
he search. 
Prince Bismarck has made the grimmest joke of the century. 
He has given in his adhesion to Anli-Vivisertionism ! Our 
Bestiarian enemies must be proud of their new pervert — the 
man of blood and iron. 
Some members of the Society for Psychical Research appear 
to have been mesmerising birds. They must beware lest this 
should be construed as a “ painful experiment.” 
Dr. H. Muller (“ Kosmos ”) finds that blues, violets, and cer- 
tain reds are more attrartive to bees than other shades. Scarlets, 
oranges, and certain bright yellows, which the author calls 
“ fulgent colours,” are unattrartive. (These colours, as we have 
not long ago pointed out, are often accompanied by unpleasant 
odours.) 
According to MM. E. and H. Becquerel the mean annual 
temperature of soil covered with turf is higher at the depth of 
0*05 metre than that of similar soil denuded of vegetation, by 
0-29° C. 
