tals could be seen. From this it will be seen
that in this case the raphides did not separate from the mucilaginous
juice to be held in suspension in the ether. A great deal of time and
labor were spent in endeavoring to separate the crystals completely
from this insoluble mucilage, but without avail. With the tradescantia
similar results were obtained.

From these experiments the absence of acridity in these two plants, in
spite of the abundance of raphides, may readily be explained by the
fact that the minute crystals are surrounded with and embedded in an
insoluble mucilage, which prevents their free movement into the tongue
and surface of the mouth, when portions of the plants are tasted.

The reason why the Indian turnip loses its acridity on being heated
can be explained by the production of starch paste from the abundance
of starch present in the bulbs. This starch paste would evidently act
in a manner similar to the insoluble mucilage of the other two plants.

So also it can readily be seen that when the bulbs of the Indian
turnip have been dried, the crystals can no longer separate from the
hard mass which surrounds them, and consequently can exert no irritant
action when the dried bulbs are placed against the tongue.--_Jour. Am.
Chem. Soc._

* * * * *

THE WHALE-HEADED STORK.

[Illustration: THE WHALE-HEADED STORK--BALAENICEPS REX.]

Of all the wonders that inhabit the vast continent of Africa, the most
singular one is undoubtedly the _Balaeniceps_, or whale-headed stork.
It is of relatively recent discovery, and the first description of it
was given by Gould in the early part of 1851. It is at present still
extremely rare. The Paris Museum possesses three specimens of it, and
the Boulogne Museum possesses one. These birds always excite the
curiosity of the public by their strange aspect. At first sight, says
W.P. Parker, in his notes upon the osteology of the balaeniceps, this
bird recalls the boatbill, the heron, and the adjutant. Other birds,
too, suggest themselves to the mind, such as the pelican, the toucan,
the hornbills, and the podarges. The curious form of the bill, in
fact, explains this comparison with birds belonging to so different
groups, and the balaeniceps would merit the name of boatbill equally
well with the bird so called, since its bill recalls the small fishing
boats that we observe keel upward high and dry on our seashores. This
bill is ten