becoming an American citizen, should be held excusable for continuing in ignorance of the vegetation around, him. This Manual will of course become the constant companion of all intelligent investigators of Plants within the limits referred to: but it ought, also, in connection with the Botanical Text-Book, and elementary Lessons, by the same author-to be introduced into every well-ordered seminary (by all means including the common schools,) of the same region. With such class books, in place of the superficial and defective compilations heretofore too generally employed, a just conception of the science would soon supercede the prevalent smattering of uncouth terms destitute of ideas; and a proper foundation would be laid in the inquiring minds of youth for a future superstructure of true Botanical knowledge. A reform of this character is a consummation devoutly to be wished. It is, indeed, high time that the intellect of " Young America,”-in every educational department-should be placed on the right track at the start, and be so developed, in its progress, as to eschew the vulgar errors and exploded fallacies of the past. The morning of life is too short, and too precious to be wasted in acquiring ideas that are obsolete, and which, of necessity, must be afterward unlearned, or discarded. In the confident expectation that other editions of the Manual will ere long be demanded, we would respectfully suggest to the accomplished and indefatigable Author, the propriety of so extending the future ones, as to comprise all the known Plants of the United States, and thus present a valuable and most desirable compendium of the Botany of our whole country. While it would meet an urgent present want, it would serve as an exceedingly interesting Prodromus of that complete National Flora, which must one day be prepared. Such a Prodromus-in appropriate type-would form a couple of volumes of very convenient size; the first of which might contain the Exogenous Plants of the Union, and the second, the Endogens and Cryptogams. May we not hope that such a desideratum will speedily be supplied? W. D. 9. Report on the present State of our Knowledge of the Mollusca of California; by Rev. P. CARPENTER, (Proc. Brit. Assoc., August, 1856; Ath., No. 1504.)-As many of the shells of California extend to Sitka, and some even to the Shantar Islands, while the shells of the Gulf of California belong to the Fauna of Panama and Ecuador, this report embraces the shells of the whole of the west coast of North America. The causes of error, both in ascertaining the habitat and in identifying the species of mollusks, were pointed out. An historical account was given of all the known collectors in the district, pointing out the degree of authority attached to each, with a list of species, references, synonyms, &c. Special attention had been paid to the minuter shells of the Gulf, among which were pointed out several new and interesting forms. The large multitudes of shells from that district which had been lately sent to this country had brought to light many interesting points concerning the great variations in particular species. In the genus Cæcum, for instance, five species had been made out of different stages of growth in the same shell. All the known shells of which the exact locality was ascertained had been tabulated in columns, representing the distribution of the species, and arranged zoologically. About 800 species are known from the Gulf, and 625 from Panama, of which 218 are already known to be common to the two-eighty-nine being common to the Gulf and South America and twenty-three to the Gallapagos, which islands have very little in common with South America, more with Panama, and some little with the Indo-Pacific province. The Proboscidifera were found much more local than the rest of the Gasteropods, and these than the Bivalves, the spawn of which latter are borne through wide ranges by the currents. The Fauna of Upper California, as shown by the collections of Mr. Nuttall and the United States Exploring Expedition, are quite distinct from those of the Gulf; scarcely a score of species, and those in very limited numbers, are found in common. Very little is accurately known of the Fauna of the Peninsula. The shells on the Gulf side are, however, mainly Panamic, on the Pacific side, Californian. Scarcely a single species is common to West America and Polynesia, while not a few appear identical with West Indian forms, especially in the Gulf. Several forms reappear on the Gambia coast. A very few reach Britain, chiefly nestling bivalves. The main object of the report was to reduce to a common estimate all that was yet known on the subject, that future students might not have to go over the same ground continually, and to point out the causes of the present very unsatisfactory state of the science, as the first step towards their removal. 10. On the Vital Powers of the Spongiada; by Mr. BOWERBANK, (Proc. Brit. Assoc., August, 1856; Ath., No. 1505.)—The greater portion of these observations were made on a new species of sponge, of a deep orange color, that abounds on the rocks in the vicinity of Tenby between high and low water marks, and which he has named Hymeniacidon caruncula. He found that while in a state of repose oscula could rarely be seen in the open state, but immediately after being placed in fresh sea-water these organs were very shortly fully expanded, and streams of water were ejected from them with considerable force; this action continued for a longer or shorter period at the will of the animal, and its termination was sometimes abrupt and at other times very gradual. After the action had ceased for a short period it might again be readily stimulated to a renewal by a supply of fresh cold sea-water, and especially if poured on to the sponge with some degree of force. The action of the oscula were not simultaneous in all parts of the same specimen, and it frequently occurred that while one group were vigorously in action another group were in complete repose. The aspect of the oscula also varied considerably,sometimes the membranous margins were projected in the form of short tubes, while at other times they were contracted laterally so as to form a tense horizontal membrane, with a widely-expanded central orifice. The author also found the reparative powers of this species remarkably active. If the sponge was cut into three pieces, and these were again brought in contact, in less than twelve hours they became firmly re-united,—and specimens of the same species placed in close contact were united to each other in a few hours, becoming one sponge. The author, in conclusion, briefly referred to the nutritive apparatus of the Spongiada. He stated that nearly the whole of the interior of the animal is one large stomachal cavity, furnished abundantly with membranes covered with a coat of sarcode, similar in every respect to the mucous lining of the intestines of the higher animals, and performing for the sponge precisely the same functions that are exerted from Actinophrys Sol upwards, through every gradation of animal existence, to man and the rest of the most elaborately constructed animals. This extraordinary substance, designated in Actinophrys Sol as sarcode by Kölliker, and in the higher animals known by anatomists as the mucous lining of the intestines, is apparently an organ of very much more importance in the process of digestion than has been generally conceived. In the Spongiada there is every reason to believe that the imbibition of the molecules by this substance is precisely in the manner described by Kölliker in Actinophrys Sol,—and from the examination of the mucous membranes of animals of every class, the author feels persuaded that the mucous lining in such animals is truly the homologue of the sarcode in the Actinophrys Sol and in the Spongiada. 11. Gar-pikes.-Mr. J. E. GAVIT exhibited to the American Association at Albany a vase containing young gar-pikes 4 to 6 inches long from Lake Ontario, which called forth some remarks from Prof. Agassiz. The point of special interest in these representatives of the ancient Ganoids, was the occurrence of an upper lobe to the caudal fin containing the prolonged vertebral column. It was placed directly above that fin, was of equal length and had a lanceolate form; it moreover had a peculiar rapid vibratile motion. The vertebral column was continued in it quite to its extremity. These young fishes therefore were essentially indentical in their tails with the Paleozoic species, and in one genus of the Old Red Sandstone, named Glypticus, as stated by Prof. Agassiz, the tail was similar in the form of the lobes. This supernumerary lobe disappears as the fish grows older. Prof. Agassiz observed that this was among the many facts which show that the order of succession of animals in past time is exemplified now in the development of individuals. He also remarked on the fact that these Ganoid fishes resemble reptiles in the power of moving the head on the back bone (owing to the ball and socket joint of the vertebrææ), and in the quasi tail. IV. ASTRONOMY. 1. New Planets. The number of asteroidal planets now known is forty-two. Harmonia (40) was discovered Mch. 31, 1856, by Mr. Hermann Goldschmidt, at Paris. In apparent brightness it equaled a star of the 9-10th magnitude. The following elements of this planet are computed by Mr. C. F. Pape, of Altona. Epoch, 1856, May 1,45198 M. T. Berl. Mean anomaly, 66 (6 asc. node, Inclination, Angle of excentricity, [Astr. Nach., No. 1022. 2. Daphne (41) was discovered May 22, 1856, by H. Goldschmidt, at Paris. It was then about as bright as a star of 11-12th magnitude. 3. Isis (42) was discovered May 23, 1856, by Mr. Pogson, first Assistant at the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, Eng. It was then rather brighter than a star of the 10th magnitude. From the observations of May 28th and June 1st at Oxford and June 9th at Berlin, Mr. C. F. Pape has computed the following elements: Epoch, 1856, June 9,52295, M. T. Berl. Mean anomaly, 66 66 asc. node, Inclination, Angle of excentricity, Log. semi-axis major, 311° 19' 21":9 310 35 34 9 ) Mn. Eqnx. 8 8 36 6 7 45 47 3 [Astr. Nach., No. 1031. V. MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 1. American Association for the Advancement of Science.-The Tenth Meeting of the American Association commenced at Albany on Wednesday the 20th of August last. Prof. James Hall of Albany was President of the year. The local committee of the city had made liberal and wellappointed arrangements for the occasion, and during the sessions devoted themselves most attentively to the interests of the Association, calling forth at the close a unanimous and hearty vote of thanks. The legislative halls of the State Capitol were thrown open for the meetings, and the whole building, and also the new and spacious Geological Hall, for generous evening entertainments. The citizens of Albany in various ways expressed a welcome to the Association, giving free invitations to places of public interest, besides opening their houses to many of its members, and inviting all to evening levees. This hospitality has followed the Association since its formation, wherever it has met, but no place has exceeded the very liberal arrangements made at Albany. The meeting was in keeping with the munificence of the city, being by far the largest that has been held, numbering among its members some from places a thousand miles off to the south and west, as well as a deputation from Canada. And if there were not a large number from Europe also, it was through no want of effort and liberality on the part of the Albanians, or of free passages offered by the steamships and packets of the Atlantic. The sessions continued till Thursday morning, the 28th, when the Association adjourned to meet on the 12th of August, 1857, at Montreal, in compliance with an invitation from the City Council and Natural History Society of that City. The officers appointed for the ensuing year are Prof. J. W. BAILEY of West Point, President; Prof. A. CASWELL of Providence, Vice-President; Prof. JOHN LECONTE of South Carolina, General Secretary; and Prof. J. LOVERING, of Cambridge, was continued as Permanent Secretary. SECOND SERies, vol. xxII, NO. 66.—NOV., 1856. In addition to the usual sessions of the Association there were two exercises of extraordinary character, and indeed of extraordinary interest for the country. On Wednesday, the 27th, the inauguration of the State Geological Hall took place. The geological collections, owing to their extent, and their comprising the vouchers of the Geological Reports of the State Survey and especially of the Palæontological volumes by Prof. Hall, have a more than American importance. The great address of the occasion was delivered by Prof. Agassiz, in which he ably sustained the view, that "nature can only be the work of an intellectual Being,—of Mind,—of an Individual God." Remarks were also made by Professors Dewey and Hitchcock, on the history of geological surveys in the United States; by Sir William E. Logan, on the importance of the results of the Geological Survey of New York to Canada and the world; Professor Henry, on the liberality of the citizens of Albany; President Anderson of Rochester University, on the dignity and value of Science; Prof. Chas. E. Davies of Fishkill, on the true practical as the result of an antecedent ideal; and Rev. Dr. Cox on the connection of Religion with Science. A merited tribute was paid to the memory of the Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, of Albany and resolutions of respect to his memory were passed by silently rising. On the following day. Thursday, there was the inauguration of the Dudley Observatory when Hon. Edward Everett delivered to an audience of five thousand, an oration of great power, admirably adapted to the occasion. The Dudley Observatory originated in the munificence of Mrs. Dudley of Albany, lady of the late Charles E. Dudley of that city, formerly member of Congress. During the meeting a letter from Mrs. Dudley was read announcing the additional gift of $50,000 to the Observatory fund towards which Mrs. Dudley had before given $25,000. It was also stated that through the generous pledges of support on the part of twelve citizens of Albany, Gould's Astronomical Journal would hereafter be published at Albany. Dr. B. A. Gould has in charge the completion of the Observatory and the ordering of its instruments, part of which are already supplied; and under his auspices, if the endowment reaches the amount required for action, Albany will have, as we believe, an Observatory unsurpassed in the land. It has already proposed to supply the city and shipping of New York with astronomical time. * From the address of Hon. Edward Everett, we cite a single eloquent passage on Galileo. GALILEO. "On this great name, my Friends, assembled as we are to dedicate a temple to instrumental astronomy, we may well pause for a moment. "There is much, in every way, in the city of Florence to excite the curiosity, to kindle the imagination, and to gratify the taste. Sheltered on the north by the vine-clad hills of Fiesole, whose cyclopean walls carry back the antiquary to ages before the Roman, before the Etruscan power, the flowery city (Fiorenza) covers the sunny banks of the Arno with its Since the adjournment of the Association we learn of the gift towards the Observatory of $10,000 by T. W. Olcott, Esq., of Albany. |