WARD’S NATURAL SCIENCE BULLETIN 
7 
GENERAL NOTES. 
We have just finished and shipped to Mr. A. 
Bierstadt two Rocky Mountain Goats, male and 
female, both of which were very large and fine 
specimens, and will do duty as models. 
It is by no means uncommon for native super- 
stition to stand resolutely in the way of the col- 
lector in the field. One of our correspondents in 
Alaska writes that he has found it almost impos- 
sible to secure for us any skeletons of the Sea 
Otter, because the natives believe that when they 
kill an Otter they must cut off the head and throw 
it into the sea, or else their canoe will be lost. 
Being in Cincinnati recently, we visited the 
Zoological Gardens to see our former pets, two 
little Grizzlies which we sent there about a year 
ago. We found, however, much to our disap- 
pointment, that they had been sent to Europe in 
exchange for other animals, and they are now 
amusing with their antics the visitors to the 
Zoological Gardens at Berlin. 
The Cincinnati Gardens are well filled, and the 
animals all in fine condition. Several species of 
tropical deer have been acclimated, so that they 
now require no more shelter in winter than is 
given to the Virginia Deer or Elk. The Gardens 
possess an unusually fine series of Pheasants, 
among which we noticed several hybrids be- 
tween the Golden and Amherst Pheasants, sur- 
passing in beauty of plumage both their parents. 
We have just received from West Africa the 
skin and skeleton of a fine, large male Gorilla, 
both in an excellent state of preservation. These 
rare specimens render our splendid series of An- 
thropoid Apes, still more complete. Two gorillas, 
and other valuable zoological specimens shipped 
to us by the Baron Von Koppenfels, from the 
Gaboon' River, were lost on the steamship Benin, 
which came into collision with another vessel and 
was a total loss. 
A snowy owl ( Nyctea nivea) was recently sent 
here to be mounted, which came to its death un- 
der peculiar circumstances. A gentleman from 
this city was in the St. Clair Plats duck-shooting, 
and before daybreak one morning his guide was 
sent out to anchor the decoys. The task was 
accomplished, and the guide sat down upon the 
shore to rest, when the owl mistook him for a 
stump, and alighted upon his head. Reaching 
up quickly he siezed the bird by its legs and 
strangled it on the spot. This bird is the fourth 
snowy owl which has been sent in this season, 
and we hear that they are appearing further west. 
Are we to have, during the coming winter, an- 
other such a visitation of snowy owls as occurred 
in 1876? 
The mortuary list for the year drawing to a 
close includes quite a number of names prominent 
in one way or another, in the domains of science, 
among them : Dr. Emanuel Boricky, well 
known for his researches in microscopical petrog- 
raphy; Prof. James Tennant, the English Min- 
eralogist; Achille Delesse, the eminent Geologist; 
Henri St. Claire Deville, the celebrated French 
Chemist; Dr. Ferdinand Keller, the Swiss Arch- 
feologist, rendered famous by his researches into 
the origin of the Lake Dwellings ; and last in 
order of time, but not least in the estimation of 
Americans, one whose active interest in the pro- 
gress of science, entitles him to mention in this 
connection: James A. Garfield, 20th President 
of the United States. F. W. S. 
Since the above was written the list has been 
swelled by the addition of two other noted 
names: Prof. Robert Mallett, the authority on 
earthquake phenomena, and the Hon. Lewis H. 
Morgan, well known as a writer on early civili- 
zation, and of whom a notice will be found in 
another column. 
INVERTEBRATES. 
Our stock in this department is exceptionally 
full, and is continually receiving additions of 
fresh material from all parts of the world. This 
steady influx of material enables us to keep con- 
stantly on hand a supply of typical specimens in 
the different branches of this great group. We 
are necessarily unable to obtain all the genera in 
the different ‘divisions, yet we can furnish most 
of the type form s — those species which stand, out 
prominently in the systematic zoological series — 
as well as those which show stages of growth or 
other physiological characteristics. Our Cata- 
logue of In vertebrates enumerates considerably more 
than one thousand species, and additions are con- 
stantly being made. Among the most interesting 
forms are the following : 
In PROTOZOA, actual specimens of Foraminifera, 
Radiolaria and Rhizopods, with plaster models, 
enlarged 100 diameters, of a number of the most 
interesting forms. 
SPONGES from the delicate Glass Sponge to the 
massive Neptune’s Cup; also the wonderful Glass 
Rope Sponge and Clione , interesting from its curi- 
ous habit of boring shells. 
G0RG0NIAS from the West Indies, Africa and 
the Pacific and Indian Oceans. 
The CORALS include many curious and beauti- 
ful forms: Fungias from the Red Sea and Pacific 
Ocean; Brain Corals from the West Indies and 
Red Sea ; the charming pink Stylaster from Samoa, 
and the precious Corallium from the Mediterra- 
nean. 
The most interesting of the CRINOIDS is the rare 
Pentacrinus Caput Medusae, of which we have 
several unique specimens ; also, Comatula, Alecto, 
Antedon, &c. Following these come the STAR 
FISHES and SEA URCHINS in scores of species. 
The former include Astrophyton, Ophiocoma, 
Oreaster, &c., and among the latter are Echinus, 
Heterocentrotus, Clypeaster, Brissus, and many 
other forms. 
SHELLS, univalve, bivalve and multivalve; 
also, of Octopods and Squids, about twenty spe- 
cies in alcohol. 
CRUSTACEANS furnish, perhaps, the quaintest 
forms of all; Barnacles, Horse-shoe Crabs, Fid- 
dler Crabs, Lobsters, the old Birgus latro, famous 
for its peculiar habit of climbing trees ; also, scores 
of other interesting species. Of most of these we 
have both alcoholic and dry or mounted speci- 
mens. 
Catalogue of Invertebrates, 112 pages, 121 wood 
cuts, 50 cents. 
Glass Models. 
In addition to the actual specimens, we also 
offer a full series of the exquisitely made Blaschka 
models of Actinias, Acalephs, Cephalopods, etc. 
These are of glass, and are most accurate in form 
and coloring, the greatest care being taken to 
show, in all perfection of detail, these frail and 
perishable forms, which it is almost impossible 
to preserve satisfactorily. Prof. Ward has been 
appointed by Herr Blaschka sole American agent 
for these models. Owing to the increasing de- 
mand for the models, we have for some time 
been unable to keep a supply on hand, and we 
would request that parties desiring them will 
order as early as possible. - 
Catalogue of Class Models , 24 pages, 10 cents. 
DIAGRAMS. 
Prof. Ward has also been appointed by the 
German publishers as American Agent for the 
sale and distribution of Profs. Leuchart & Nits- 
ches’ celebrated series of Zoological Diagrams, 
10 in number, showing the growth and develop- 
ment of chosen representative forms throughout 
the whole series of Invertebrates. These dia- 
drams— about 3x5 feet in size — are beautifully 
designed and graphically colored in explanation 
of the subject proposed. They are greatly 
sought by teachers of Zoology, to whom they are 
invaluable. 
Price of series, unmounted . $10 
Price of series, mounted 15 
The Dredging Song. 
BY EDWARD FORBES. 
Hurrah for the dredge, with its iron edge, 
And its mystical triangle, 
And its hided net with meshes set, 
Odd fishes to entangle. 
The ship may move through the waves above, 
’Mid scenes exciting wonder. 
But braver sights the dredge delights 
As it roveth the waters under. 
Down in the deep, where the mermen sleep. 
Our gallant dredge is sinking ; 
Bach finny shape in a precious scrape 
Will find itself in a twinkling. 
They may twirl and twist, and writhe as they wist, 
And break themselves into sections. 
But up they all, at the dredge’s call. 
Must come to fill collections. 
The creatures strange the sea that range, 
Though mighty in their stations. 
To the dredge must yield the briny field 
Of their loves and depredations. 
The crab so bold, like a knight of old, 
In scaly armor plated, 
And the slimysnail, with a shell on his tail, 
And the star-fish— radiated. 
That Prof. Ward is in a region rich in marine 
life is most forcibly shown by the many boxes of 
beautiful shells and corals continually coming in- 
Prominent among the corals are 
Stylaster sanguineus. 
Pociilopora damicornis , Eydouxi and rn/mrulrina. 
Seriatopora lineata. 
Distichopora nitida. 
Halomitra pileus. 
Lophoseris Knorri , frondifera and pratorta. 
Tubipora musica. 
Alveopora deedalea. 
Madrepora, Oculina, Calaxea, and numerous 
other genera. 
— 8 »■ 
Since the departure of the Cambridge Elephant, 
which stood 9 ft. 5 in. in height, and would have 
weighed, when living, about four tons, the animal 
which excites the greatest interest amongst our 
visitors is our baby elephant. This absurd little 
pigmy is only 2 ft. 9 in. in height, from which we 
estimate that he was about six months old when 
living, and is, perhaps, the smallest elephant in 
this country. 
GEOLOGY. 
At the second session of the International Geo- 
logical Congress, held at Bologna, in September 
last, the prizes offered for the best essays on the 
coloring of maps were awarded to MM. Heim, of 
Zurich; Carpinski, of St. Petersburg, and Mail- 
lard, of Lausanne. For uniformity in Geological 
nomenclature the following terms were adopted, 
beginning with the most general. 
Physical Division. 
Group, 
System, 
Series, 
Bed, 
Chronological Term. 
Cycle, 
Period, 
Epoch, 
Age, 
for which all the European languages have near 
equivalents. The color scheme adopted for all 
nations is as follows : 
Pre-Cambrian crystalline schists — Bright rose- 
carmine. 
Crystalline Schists of unknown age — Pale rose- 
carmine. 
Palaeozoic rocks — (Question reserved). 
Trias — Violet. 
Lias — Dark blue. 
Jurassic — Blue. 
Cretaceous — Green. 
Tertiary — Y ellow — 
The latter divisions lighter shades of the same; 
shades of the adopted colors, or colored lines, 
indicating the subdivisions, the darker tints being 
applied to the older ; sedimentary formations de- 
noting by the initial Roman capitals of their 
respective names; subdivisions by initial small 
letter of name in addition; smaller subdivisions 
by figures added to the other signs— 1, indicating 
the oldest; Eruptive rocks distinguished by the 
initial Greek capital of the name. 
The next meeting of the Congress will be held 
in 1884, in Berlin. F. W. S. 
