hypothesis. Professor Owen lays great stress on the non-existence of ophidian vertebræ ; but as only two ophidians have yet entered the arena as competitors for the title of sea-serpent,-Saccopharynx flagellum, which I have heard is a bona fide black snake, and Boa constrictor, which is received on all hands as a veritable serpent,-I think the absence of ophidian vertebræ is of no great moment. The Sauria offer similar coincidences with the Ophidia, and present a similar discrepancy: their heads and necks might readily be described by general observers as those of snakes or serpents, but the undulating motion with which they swim is almost precisely similar to that of snakes, and holds equally good as an objection to our marine monster entering their ranks. The Crocodilia and Chelonia have next to be considered, and these truly possess the submerged limbs requisite for propulsion in a direct course along the surface of the water; moreover, natatorial undulation of the vertebral column in crocodiles is highly improbable, in turtles absolutely impossible: hence, as far as aquatic progression is concerned, these reptiles agree more aptly than any other known living animals with the recently-published descriptions of so-called sea-serpents. Yet the comparatively compact form of both crocodiles and turtles, and especially the orbicular figure of the latter, quite preclude the idea of their being described-even by the veriest tyro in observation as snakes of a hundred feet in length; again, in both crocodiles and tortoises floating on the surface of water, the back, and not the head and neck, must be the part most prominently and permanently visible. It is therefore manifest that no existing group of reptiles answers the conditions required by the recently-recorded descriptions of the sea-serpent.

Finally, among Fishes, the mind turns very willingly to the sharks as offering a solution of the problem; and the record respecting the sea-serpent of Stronsa (Zool. 2320) has given great weight to this view, adopted as it has been by such eminent naturalists as Doctors Mantell and Melville (Zool. 2310). With regard to the Stronsa animal, I entertain very grave doubts of the decision in question: it certainly does not seem to have possessed the vertebræ of an ophidian, but then no naturalist desires to make it one: the boa hypothesis is

applied only to the sea-serpent of the Dædalus.

Leaving, however, this Orcadian monster to its own merits, I may observe, first, that all analogy contravenes the idea of a shark having a neck, and secondly, I would beg of those gentlemen who advocate this hypothesis, to take their pencils and depict a shark with his head and shoulders clear out of the water, and his body hanging almost perpendicularly below: I think the most brilliant fancy could scarcely imagine a shark maintaining such a position for twenty minutes at a time, and, what is stranger still, while in this position, ploughing the ocean at the rate of twenty miles an hour.

After maturely considering these various views, it will be found that the Enaliosaurian hypothesis presents the fewest difficulties,-in fine, one only, the supposition that these wonderful creatures have become extinct. It will be the object of a separate essay, now preparing for the press, to adduce evidence from other sources of the existence in sea-serpents seen off the Norwegian coast-of two large flappers or paddles, closely corresponding in situation with the anterior paddles of Ichthyosaurus, and also of enormous eyes, exactly as indicated by the fossil remains of that animal; but this, not being deducible from recent observations, may be reserved for a more complete and careful review of the entire history of these enormous creatures which in all probability will eventually be found to constitute several genera and species.

In throwing open the pages of the 'Zoologist' to communications on a subject so uniformly tabooed by the scientific,-in claiming for that subject a calm and dispassionate investigation,-in expressing my unhesitating belief that the various narratives, although often conflicting, are nevertheless, according to the belief of the narrators, perfectly true, and in attempting to assign the sea-serpent a place in the System of Nature,-I feel convinced that all true naturalists will approve the course I have taken, and will be willing to abide the result. Discussion must ever have the tendency to dissipate error and establish truth; and he who believes himself right need never shun the ordeal. In this spirit I invite discussion, and shall feel obliged for any communications tending to elicit or establish truth.

A most interesting addition has been made to our batrachian Reptiles in the Triton palmipes of Daudin. The first notice of this salamander as an inhabitant of Britain occurs in the July number (Zool. 2149), and is from the pen of Mr. J. Wolley; the information is confirmed and the range of habitat extended by Mr. Baker (Zool. 2198); its specific identity is settled by M. Deby (Zool. 2231); and, finally, its northward range to the extreme point of Scotland is shown by Mr. J. Wolley (Zool. 2265). The addition of a well-ascertained species to so small a group as our batrachian reptiles is a matter of great importance.

Notes on the

in

Mr. R. Q. Couch concludes his most valuable Fishes of the District of the Land's End,' in the January number (Zool. 1972); and Mr. J. Couch contributes an interesting paper the same number (Zool. 1980), on the 'Egg-purse and Embryo of a Species of Myliobatis,' found a few miles from Fowey, on the coast of Cornwall.

In Crustacea we have had the most important discovery that the present century has furnished. A number of extremely large and beautiful specimens of the Cancer dormia of Linneus (the Dromia vulgaris of Milne-Edwards) have been taken on the coast of Sussex (Zool. 2325). For this most valuable addition to the Fauna of the British Islands we are indebted to Messrs. George and Henry Ingall, whose indefatigable exertions in the cause of Natural History have been rewarded by great success, as their rich collections abundantly

attest.

It is, however, in Insects that our favourite science has made the greatest advance; and first I must mention Lepidoptera: the past summer has been unfavourable to the development of this beautiful class, the temperature lower than usual, the wind frequently boisterous, and the rain in many parts of the Kingdom almost continuous: the occurrence of rarities among the larger and more conspicuous Lepidoptera has not been observed. One beautiful Geometra,

Harpalyce sagittaria, entirely new to Britain, is recorded by Mr. Henry Doubleday (Zool. 2236) as having occurred at Peterborough, and the same eminent naturalist records [the occurrence of Zeuzera arundinis (Zool. 2236), the females of which have never previously been taken in this country, and a single male is unique in his own cabinet. In turning our attention to the Micro-Lepidoptera, we find that here the labours of British Lepidopterists have been most ardent and most successful. Mr. Bedell has described a beautiful species, Microsetia quinquella (Zool. 1986), taken by himself in some abundance on the oaks at West Wickham, and entirely new to science. Mr. Logan has described Ephippiphora turbidana (Zool. 2034), taken by himself near Edinburgh, on the burdock, and new to Britain. Mr. Sircom has described Lophoptilus Staintoni and Microsetia Bedellella (Zool. 2037), taken by himself on Durdham Downs, near Bristol, and by Mr. Stainton on Sanderstead Downs, Surrey: both these moths are new to science. Mr. Stainton has contributed largely to our store of knowledge of these minute tribes. His descriptions of Tortricida in the January number (Zool. 1987) contain many insects previously unrecorded as British, and several errors in synonomy are carefully rectified. In the March number (Zool. 2035) Mr. Stainton describes Phycita interpunctella, taken by Mr. E. Shepherd in London, and Chauliodus Illigerellus, taken by Mrs. Stainton on the Surrey Downs : both of them are new to Britain. In the April number (Zool. 2078) the same author commences his admirable Monograph on the British Argyromiges,' completed in the course of the volume, with descriptions of forty British species and figures of their wings and lastly, he describes in the July number (Zool. 2164) three species of Aphelosetia, under the name of obscurepunctella, biatomella, and rhynchosporella; all of them new to science. The unwearying assiduity of this talented entomologist has given a great impulse to the study of our minute moths.

:

In Hymenoptera, I have to notice the occurrence of Trigonalys Anglicanus, recorded (Zool. 1994) by Mr. Frederick Smith as having been captured in Derbyshire: the same unwearied and most accurate entomologist has concluded his descriptions of British Bees: this

volume contains the genera Halictus (Zool. 2037, 2100 and 2167), Hylæus (2200), Cilissa (2207), Ammobates (2212), and Dasypoda (2241) in the genus Halictus four new species are described,-H. longulus, found by Mr. Charles Bowring in the Isle of Wight,H. prasinus, taken by Mr. Dale at Barmouth, by the Rev. Mr. Little in Scotland, and by the author at Hawley, in Hampshire,-H. zonulus, taken by the author near Woolwich, and by Mr. Walcott near Bristol,-H. maculatus, taken by the author in Hampshire; the whole of these are new to science.

In Coleoptera, the result of assiduous collecting has been eminently satisfactory, several extremely rare species having occurred in some abundance. The following are novelties: Pytho depressus and Cetonia ænea, reported by Mr. J. F. Stephens (Zool. 1996) as having been taken by Mr. Weaver in Scotland; Tetratoma Desmaretsii is described (Zool. 2109) by Mr. E. W. Janson, and taken by himself in Henhault Forest, near London; Trichius zonatus, described by Mr. F. Smith (Zool. 2216), and taken by Mr. R. Weaver in Scotland; Leptinus testaceus, described by Mr. Hardy (Zool. 2277), and taken by Mr. W. E. Janson, at Box Hill, in Surrey; and Badister peltatus, recorded by myself (Zool. 2277) as in the cabinets of Mr. Ingall and Mr. S. Stevens: this insect was described many years since by myself under the name of Trimorphus Erro.

In Orthoptera, I have to notice the re-appearance of the migratory locust in small numbers, during the months of August and September; and Locusta subcærulipennis is recorded by Mr. Stephens (Zool. 1996) as having occurred at Southampton.

In Hemiptera, Mr. Walker has described no less than forty-three new species of Aphides (Zool. 2217 and 2246) with great minuteness, specifying the plants on which they feed.

In Zoophytes, Mr. A. H. Hassall has described (Zool. 2223) three new British species, under the names of Coppinia mirabilis, Campanularia serpens and Sertularia gracilis; but his paper is incomplete, inasmuch as he gives no information as regards locality, or the circumstances under which these zoophytes occurred.