Catalogue Raisonné. 475 
This latter bark has been lately submitted to examination by M. Pelletier, 
with the assistance of M. Coreal, and the result of their investigations, 
read before the Royal Academy of Medicine, is condensed in the notice 
whose title we have quoted. 
The discovery of a new alcaloid is the fruit of M. Pelletier’s labours. Like 
cinchonia, it is white, transparent, crystalline; but it differs from cin- 
chonia, in not being volatilized, when after having been melted, its tem- 
perature is augmented. 
Tt is soluble in alcohol and ether, but absolutely insoluble in water. At, 
first it seems to have no taste, but after some time it leaves in the mouth. 
a sensation of heat, complicated with bitterness and astringency. The 
acids develope its savour. 
But by combining this bark with acids, we principally distinguish it from 
cinchonia. With sulphuric acid we know that cinchonia forms a salt: 
which crystallizes in rhomboidal prisms. The new alcaloid com- 
bines also with sulphuric acid; but the result is not crystallizable by: 
aqueous solution. When dissolved in a certain proportion of boiling 
water, the solution, in cooling, becomes a white jelly, similar to Jlanc- 
manger. 'The gelatinous mass, when dried, appears horny; re-dissolved_ 
by boiling water, it again becomes gelatinous. 
It is the intention of M. Pelletier to present an extended memoir on this 
new alcaloid, in which he will, at the same time, determine the botani-: 
cal species of the bark, and give its elementary analysis. 
Species général des Coléoptéres, de la Collection de M.le Comte. 
Dejean. Tom. IV. Dec. 1829. 8vo. Pp. 510. 
This new volume of Dejean’s Species général contains the descriptions of 
the tribe Harpalie, which corresponds nearly to the genus Harpalus of 
Bonelli, at least in the European species, though there is some doubt as 
to certain exotic genera. The difficulty of determining the limits of the 
tribe, arises from an imperfect knowledge of the sexual differences. 
In the synoptical table to the 1st volume of this work, the author gave as 
the character of the Harpalie, “ four anterior tarsi dilated in the males,” 
which applies to most of the genera composing this tribe; but in some 
the dilatation of the intermediate tarsi is so slight as scarcely to be per- 
ceptible: and he now conceives it to be more accurate to give as the cha- 
racter of this tribe, ‘‘ the first four joints of the anterior tarsi dilated in 
the males.” 
The tribe Harpalig contains 27 genera, and the genus Harpalus alone in- 
cludes 168 species. 
Illustrations of British Ornithology. Series Second. Water Birds. 
By P. J. Sevspy, Esq. No. VIII. Longman & Co. London ; W. 
H. Lizars, Edinburgh. 
The gratitude of his country is due to Mr. Selby for the national work 
which periodically appears from his delightful pencil. It has been said 
that Britain does not foster the elegant and costly productions of her 
scientific sons; but if Selby, Jardine, Wilson, are repaid,—if Audubon 
can find his account in leaving his own country, and selecting England, 
when Europe lay before lim, for the publication of his work,—without 
alluding to the magnificent works which incessantly spring up on kindred 
subjects,—we affirm that our countrymen suffer not by comparison with 
the love of science in any foreign land. Wherever merit is, there they 
give support. 
This second series, of which the 8th No. is just published, will be com-: 
pleted in two more fasciculi. 
The present No. contains the Black Tern, Red-breasted Merganser, Com- 
mon and Ferruginous Pochard, Gooseander, Common Cormorant, Ice- 
land Gull, Scooping Avocet, Bean Goose, White Stork, Garganey Teal, 
Kittiwake, and Little Grebe. 
Nearly all the plates are etched by Mr. Selby, and finished by Mr. W. H. 
Lizars. Temporary descriptions accompany each No, till the general 
volume of letter-press is finished. 
