Journal of the Franklin Institute. 3d series. Vol. 20. No. 1. July, 1850. 4me. Liv. The annals and magazine of Natural History. Vol. 5. 2d series. Nos. 29 and 30. A History of British Mollusca and their Shells. By Prof. Forbes and S. Hanley. Parts 27 and 29. Annales des Sciences naturelles. 3me serie. Oct. Nov., 1819. Contributions to Ornithology. By Sir William Jardine. Parts 1 and 2. 1850. Histoire naturelle des Mollusques. Par M. Ferussac; continue par G. P. Deshayes. 37me. liv. Zoology of the Voyage of the Samarang. No. 6. Mollusca, part 2. The genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera. By E. Doubleday: continued by J. O. Westwood. Part 32. Cours élémentaire de Paléontologie et de Géologie statigraphiques. Par M. Alcide D'Orbigny. Vol. 1. 8vo., and Atlas. Prodrome de Paléontologie statigraphique universelle des animaux mollusques et rayonnés, faisant suite au Cours élémentaire de Paléontologie par M. A. D'Orbigny. Vol. 1. Svo. Museum Adolpho-Fridericanum. Auctore Laurentius Balk fil. Sponsalia Plantarum. Auctore J. G. Wahlborn. (in one vol. 4to.) Entomostraca; seu insecta testacea, quæ in aquis Daniæ et Norvegiæ reperit, descripsit, &c. Otho Frid. Muller. 4to. British Moths and their transformations. Arranged &c. by J. N. Humphreys, with descriptions by J. O. Westwood, Esq. 2 vols. 4to. Denkschriften der k. Akad. der Wissenschaften zu Munich, 1808-1824. 9 vols. 4to. August 20th. Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia. Vol. 3, Nos. 9-12; Vol. 4, Nos. 1-4. From the editor. Dr. Wilson presented the following on the usual condition :- 8vo. Nicholson. Tableau des Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de la France. Par J. Draparnaud. Svo. Nouvelles expériences sur la Vipere. Par Moyse Charas. 2d edition. Euvres Entomologiques de Eschscholtz. Tome 1. Entomographien. 8vo. Centurie d'Insectes, contenant plusieurs genres nouveaux décrits dans sa collection. Par G. Kirby. 8vo. Agri Romani historia naturalis; a Philippo A. Gilij concinnata. Part 1. Tome 1. Ornithologia. 8vo. 8vo. Histoire naturelle des Salamandres de France. Par P. A. Latreille. Monographie Ammoniteorum et Goniatiteorum specimen. Auctore Gulielmo De Haan. 8vo. Anatomia comparata Nervi sympathetici. Auctore E. H. Weber, M. D. Svo. Philosophie entomologique. Par. J. Flor St. Amans. 8vo. Epistolæ ineditæ Caroli Linnæi: addita parte Commercii litterarii inediti, imprimis circa rem botanicam, J. Burmani, Dillenii, J. Gesneri, Pallasii, &c.: annees 1736-'93. Edidit H. C. Van Hall. Svo. Versuch einer vollständigen Conchylienkenntniss nach Lin. Syst. Herausgeg: von Karl Schreibers. 2 vols. 8vo. De la Physiologie dans ses rapports avec la Philosophie. Par J. J. Virey. 8vo. Philosophie de l'Histoire naturelle. Par J. J. Virey. 8vo. Bibliographie Entomologique. Par A. Percheron. 2 vols. Svo. Monographie des Passales, et des genres qui en ont été séparés. Par A. Per Manuel d'histoire naturelle, pour servir de suite aux Leçons Elémentaires d'hist. nat. a l'usage des jeunes gens. Rédige par le P. Cotte. Svo. Études Entomologiques. Par F. L. De Laporte. 1me partie, Carnassiers. Svo. Notice historique sur les ouvrages et la vie de M. le Baron Cuvier. Par G. L. Duvernoy. 8vo. Johannis Gesneri, M. D., tractatus physicus de Petrefactis. Svo. Anatomie des systémes nerveux des Animaux a vertébres; appliquée a la Physiologie et a la Zoologie. Par A. Desmoulins, M. D. 2 vols. Svo. Mémoires pour servir a l'Hist. de Cayenne et de la Guiane Françoise. Par M. Bajon. 2 vols. Svo. Enumerationis Fossilium quæ in omnibus Gallia Provinciis reperiuntur tentamina. Auctore A. J. D. Dargenville. Svo. Recherches sur l'organisation vertebrale des Crustacés, des Arachnides, et des Insectes. Par J. B. Robineau-Desvoidy, M. D. 8vo. Catalogue descriptif et methodique des Annelides et des mollusques de l'ile de Corse. Par B. C. Payrandeau. 8vo. Histoire des Péches, des découverts et des Etablissemens des Hollandais dans les Mers du Nord. Par le Barnard de Reste. 3 vols. 8vo. Handbuch der Naturgeschichte zum Gebrauch bei Vorlesungen. Von G. H. Schubert. 5 vols. 8vo. Voyage à Madagascar et aux Iles Comores (1823-1830.) Par B. F. Leguével de Lacombe. 3 vols. 8vo. Schlangenkunde. Von Dr. H. O. Lenz. 8vo. Compendio di Elmintografia umana; compilato da S. delle Chiaje. 2d edition. 8vo. Philosophie anatomique. Fragmens sur la structure et les usages des glandes mammaires des Cétacés. Par Etienne Geoff. St. Hilaire. Svo. Musée du Naturaliste. Histoire des Papillons, 1 No. Hist. des Oiseaux, 1 No. Dictionnaire raisonné &c., des termes usités dans les Sciences Naturelles. Par A. J. L. Jourdan. 2 vols. 8vo. 8vo. Handbuch der Vergleichenden Anatomie. Von J. F. Blumenbach. Essai sur une monographie des Zygenides. Par M. J. A. Boisduval. Svo. Recherches anatomiques et physiologiques sur la structure intime des animaux et des vegetaux. Par M. H. Dutrochet. Svo. Sur la Minéralogie et la Géologie du Department des Hautes Alpes. Par Emile Gueymard. 8vo. Tableau methodique et descriptif des Mollusques terrestres et d'eau douce de l'Agenais. Par J. B. Gassies. Svo. Essai sur les Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles des Vosges. Par Ernest Puton. Svo. P. Boddart, M. D. Elenchus Animalium. Tome 1. Svo. Die Urvelt und die Firsterne. Von Dr. G. H. Schubert. 8vo. Catalogue raisonné d'objets d'Hist. nat. et d'instrumens de physique qui composent le Cabinet de M. de Montribloud. 8vo. Systematisches Verzeichniss aller bes jezt bekannten Säugethiere oder Synopsis Mammalium. Von Dr. H. Schinz. 2 vols. 8vo. Cours de l'Histoire naturelle des Mammiferes. Par M. Geoff. St. Hilaire. Svo. Histoire naturelle de l'Homme, par M. le Cte. de Lacépéde. Par M. le Baron G. Cuvier. Svo. The Natural History of Ireland. Birds. Vol. 2. By William Thompson. Svo. From the author. The doctrine of the Unity of the Human race examined on the principles of Science. By John Bachman, D. D. Svo. From Dr. Morton. September 3d, 1850. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, dated Washington, August 10th, 1850, acknowledging the reception of Vol. 1st., new series, of the Journal, by that Institution. A letter was read from Dr. D. D. Owen, addressed to President Morton, dated July 18, 1850, stating the fact as worthy of record, that the cane (Miegia arundinacea) had this year borne flowers and produced seed in Indiana, a rare occurrence with this plant. Mr. Nuttall, in his "Genera of N. A. Plants," in reference to "M. gigantea?," perhaps a variety of "macrosperma," says, "this species is supposed to flower but once in 20 or 25 years." Mr. Clay observed that this occurrence was not confined to Indiana this year, but was very extensive in the Western States. Similar facts in relation to the flowering of other plants, as the Bamboo, were also adverted to. Mr. Robert Kilvington exhibited a collection of Australian plants, twenty-three in number, which he had raised from seed presented to the Academy by Dr. Charles Nicholson, of Sydney. They were all in a fine healthy condition, and consisted of Acacia rutifolia, A. meloxylon, A. Aotus villosa, Bossica scolopendrium, B. prostrata, B. rotundifolia, Calotis Calothamnus villosa, Callistachys ovata, Casuarina tenuifolia, Dillwynia ericifolia, D. phylicoides, Hibiscus Richardsonii, Kennedia rubicunda, Indigofera gracilis, Leptospermum australis, Pomaderris discolor, Pultenæa hirsuta, Sphærolobium vimineum, Lamia australis. September 10th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. Dr. Morton offered some remarks on the value of the word species in Zoology. On this point there is great diversity of opinion among naturalists. Some deny the law of specific distinctions-at least, their arguments lead to this inference. Thus, Lamarck and Geoffroy St. Hilaire insist upon the uninterrupted succession of the animal kingdom—the gradual mergence of one species into another, from the earliest ages of time: and they suppose that the fossil animals whose remains are preserved in the various geological strata, however different from those of our own time, may nevertheless have been the ancestors of those now in being. Sir Charles Lyell has opposed this theory with great ingenuity and general success; yet whoever will examine the facts and arguments employed by its authors, may be disposed to admit that it is not altogether devoid of foundation in some exceptions to the general law of Nature. PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA.-VOL. V. NO. v. 11 Somewhat allied to this is the opinion of Swainson and others, that permanent varieties constitute species, or in other words, that variations of climate, food and treatment produce specific distinctions. Species is defined by Buffon, "a succession of similar individuals which re-produce each other." Cuvier's definition is nearly the same; but he adds that "the apparent difference of the races of our domestic species are stronger than those of any species of the same genus. The fact of the succession, therefore, and of the constant succession, constitutes alone the validity of the species." An objection to these definitions arises from the fact that they apply as readily to mere varieties as to acknowledged species. Certain albino animals re-produce, inter se, to an indefinite extent; such also is the case with some fanciful varieties of the dog, pigeon, &c., which are capable of multiplying by the law of succession, and yet have no claim to specific distinction, in the restricted acceptation of that term. I have brought together these definitions, in the first place to show that naturalists are by no means agreed upon what constitutes a species, and secondly, to offer some views of my own. As the result of much observation and reflection, I now submit a definition which I hope will obviate at least some of the objections to which I have alluded. SPECIES-a primordial organic form. It will be justly remarked that a difficulty presents itself, at the outset, in determining what forms are primordial ; but independently of various other sources of evidence, we may be assisted in the inquiry by those monumental records, both of Egypt and Assyria, of which we are now happily possessed of the proximate dates. My view may be briefly explained by saying, that if certain existing organic types can be traced back into the "night of time," as dissimilar as we see them now, is it not more reasonable to regard them as aboriginal, than to suppose them the mere accidental derivations of an isolated patriarchal stem of which we know nothing? Hence, for example, I believe the dog family not to have originated from one primitive form, but from many. Again, what I call a species may be regarded by some naturalists as a primitive variety; but, as the difference is only in name, and in no way influences the zoological question, it is unnecessary to notice it further. These views appear to correspond with those of Mr. Linnæus Martin, who expresses himself in the following terms: "We are among those who believe that, as there are degrees in the relationship of species to species, some may, although distinct, approximate so nearly as not only to produce inter se, mules incapable of interbreeding, but a progeny of fertile hybrids, capable of admixture, even to the most unlimited extent? Species may therefore be classed according to their disparity or affinity, in the following provisional manner : Remote species of the same genus, are those among which hybrids are never produced. Allied species produce, inter se, an infertile offspring. Proximate species produce with each other a fertile offspring. |