1884.] Notes. 567 
Darwin’s views on the formation of coral reefs are being to a 
considerable extent called in question. 
According to the “ American Journal of Medical Science ” the 
time taken by the blood of the dog in making the entire circuit 
of the body is 17*5 seconds, during which the heart makes 
5i‘5 pulsations. 
Dr. C. C. Abbott, in his “ Rambles about Home,” informs us 
that “ crows have twenty-seven distinct cries, calls, or utterances, 
each readily distinguishable from the other, and each having an 
unmistakable connection with a certain class of actions.” 
L. Stejneger, writing in the “ American Naturalist,” mentions 
the curious faCt that the ptarmigan, as well as other birds of the 
family of Tetraonidas, regularly sheds its claws every summer. 
Mr. J. M. Wade (“ Science ”) notices that certain hairs of 
wool have perfectly circular perforations, apparently made whilst 
growing, by some creature as yet unknown. 
Prof. Winchell, in a Ledture on the “ Habitability of Other 
Worlds, reported in “World Life,” remarks that there maybe 
beings on other worlds, and even on this, which possess more 
numerous senses than do we. 
We regret to learn that Sir J. Lubbock cannot, as he intended, 
be present at the Montreal meeting of the joint British and 
Canadian Associations. 
“ Wilford’s Microcosm ” is still existent, carries on its crusade 
against Evolution and the wave-theory of sound, and speaks of 
Prof. Tyndall as “ silenced,” because he is not willing to waste 
his time in useless logomachy. 
“ Science ” advocates the adoption of the trinomial system in 
the organic sciences. 
H. Struve (“Journal fiir Prakt. Chemie ”) maintains that all 
animal cells have the property of swelling up in ether, whilst 
nothing similar occurs with vegetable cells. 
M. A. Milne-Edwards (“ Comptes Rendus ”) shows that the 
foetal membranes of the aye-aye differ in no essential character 
from those of the typical Lemurians, and are clearly distinguished 
from those of the Primates and the Rodents. 
M. A. Mairet, in a communication on the influence of intel- 
lectual work on the elimination of phosphoric acid by urine, read 
before the Academy of Sciences, concludes that phosphoric acid 
is intimately connected with the nutrition and action of the brain. 
The brain, when aCtive, absorbs phosphoric acid combined with 
the alkalies, and returns it combined with the earths. Intel- 
lectual work retards general nutrition, and modifies the elimina- 
tion of phosphoric acid by the urine. It diminishes the amount 
of phosphoric acid combined with the alkalies, and increases the 
hosphoric acid combined with the earths. 
