Bibliographical Notices. 127 Dr. Bennett has traced the growth of mycodermatous vegetations in several cases of Tinea, and has given figures to show the appear-ances they present. He thinks that they spring up originally below, or in the thickness of the cuticle : they consist of small articulated filaments containing sporules. The author endeavoured to propagate the disease by introducing the sporules into his arm and scalp, but he did not succeed in causing the plants to germinate on parts dif-ferent from those which originally produced them. A plant of a similar nature, consisting of jointed filaments and sporules, was de-tected by Dr. Bennett in the lungs of a man who died of tubercular consumption. The vegetations were seen on dissection, but were also detected in the sputa freshly expectorated during life. The plant is allied to Penicillium glaucum. A similar structure was seen in the sordes collected on the teeth and gums of persons labouring under typhus fever. Dr. Bennett and Mr. Goodsir* have both examined the vegetations found occasionally growing on the gold-fish (Cyprinus auratus). These consist of elongated cells presenting the appearance of long jointed tubes, and of fine filaments arising from the sides of the cel-lular tubes. Numerous instances are mentioned in different tribes of animals, as mollusca, insects, fishes, birds, and mammalia, in which vegetations have been detected during life, and copious references are given to the works in which the cases are detailed. From all the facts which the author has been able to collect, he thinks it pro-bable — " 1st, that these vegetations always arise in living animals previously diseased; 2nd, that their presence indicates great de-pression of the vital powers, and impairment of the nutritive func-tions of the oeconomy ; 3rd, that the peculiar constitution or ca-chexia favourable to their growth is the tubercular or scrofulous in the mammalia, birds, and fishes, and most probably in reptiles and insects ; and 4th, that the therapeutic indications are to invi-gorate the system, and to use locally, if possible, such applications as tend to destroy vegetable life." The paper is one of great interest, and is worthy of an attentive perusal. Further observations on the subject of the vegetable nature of Tinea favosa will be found in the ' Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal' for June 1842. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. A History of British Starfishes, and other Animals of the Class Echi-nodermata. By Edward Forbes, M.W.S., For. Sec. B.S., &c. This book is one of that fair sisterhood of natural-history publica-tions, for which we are indebted to Van Voorst. We had intended, immediately on the completion of the work, to have introduced it to * See Annals, vol. ix. p. 333.
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