I878.J 
Notices of Books . 
105 
nest, and that in their forefathers’ time it sometimes descended 
suddenly, and was large enough to carry off a good-sized boy or 
girl. Mention was made of Scalavia Australis, a sea-shell which 
yields a beautiful purple dye. It will be interesting to ascertain 
whether this colour is identical with- that formerly obtained from 
certain molluscs inhabiting the Mediterranean, and which was 
known as Tyrian purple. 
Dr. G. Bennett describes the “ Frilled Lizard ” (Chlamy dosau- 
rus Kingii) of Queensland. This creature has the curious habit 
of sometimes standing on its hind legs, and in that position 
walking, or rather hopping, like a bird. The lace lizard ( Hydro - 
scmrus varius) has a similar habit. The reader will be at once 
reminded of certain extindl saurian or sauroid beings which 
seem to have held an intermediate position between true reptiles 
and birds, and to have occasionally at least resorted to bipedal 
motion. 
Dr. J. Milligan has presented to the Royal Society his valuable 
local ^herbarium, which we devoutly hope will be extended and 
carefully preserved. It is perfectly humiliating to hear of the 
fate of the Colonial Herbarium at Cape Town, which is being 
allowed to perish from damp and the ravages of insedts. 
We learn that a number of Australian trees introduced into 
the Isle of Arran are found capable of bearing the winter in the 
open air. The Australian palm ( Corypha Australis), the silvered 
tree-fern of New Zealand, and the great Australian bush-fern 
were quite untouched by the frost. 
A specimen of argentiferous galena, of Tasmanian origin, has 
been found to yield over 60 per cent of metal, rather more than 
half of which is silver. 
The Royal Society of Tasmania evidently displays a very cre- 
ditable amount of activity, though we regret to perceive, from 
the financial department of the Report, that “ some members 
have not yet paid their subscriptions for the past year, and seve- 
ral are even in arrear for former years.” It is sad that a Society 
which has such fine opportunities for research, and which num- 
bers some most zealous members, should be hampered in its 
career by the want of funds. 
Catalogue Polyglottus Historic Naturalise By Prof. C. J. 
Wheeler. Chicago : S. J. Wheeler. 
This singular work gives the names of certain animals, plants, 
and minerals in Latin, Spanish, French, English, and German, 
all arranged in parallel columns. Singularly enough many of 
the English names are incorrect, literal translations from the 
German being given. Thus no English writer would use “ bear- 
pavian ” as a synonym for Cynocephalus porcarius, or would call 
