"Our Obligations to Wild Animals" is the subject of a communication, by Sir Herbert Maxwell, to the August number of 'Blackwood's Magazine.' This article prompts much consideration, and is well worthy of the most careful perusal. Sir Herbert early starts with the postulate, "that animals, whatever we may feel to be our obligations towards them, have no rights, except such as human legislation has conferred upon them." All our anxiety for animal welfare is on this argument utilitarian. "It has been recognised that without song-birds this world would be a far less desirable place of abode; without insectivorous birds, a far less profitable place for farmers and gardeners; without birds of brilliant plumage or graceful form and flight, a much less interesting place to spend a holiday. Therefore the legislature has undertaken to protect Nightingales, as long as they do not forget their melody, and do not exchange a diet of caterpillars for one of wheat and strawberries; and Swallows, as long as they skim about in their own enchanting way, and confine their voracity to insect life.".... "The doctrine of Aristotle that 'animals have no rights,' has been reaffirmed lately under authority of the Church of Rome, and applied in a manner which makes every humane heart burn with indignation. The Pope, if he is correctly interpreted, has lent his official sanction to the abominable maxim that it is contrary to the principles of true religion to legislate for the well-being of animals, and an infringement of the rights of Christians." The writer, however, though no anti-vivisectionist, is a good sportsman, a class we thoroughly believe is "hardly ever indifferent to the welfare and comfort of the animals which serve him"; and, again, the contention seems thoroughly sound, that, "to deal rightly and considerately with animals, wild and domestic, the emotions must have their due influence; the heart must be tender, but it must not rule the head."
"On the Affinities of the Enterochromes" is the subject of a communication, by Marion J. Newbigin, in the 'Zoologischer Anzeiger' (No. 593). The authoress had previously suggested the name of Enterochrome for green pigments in Invertebrates, and had pointed out the difficulties in the way of the supposition that these pigments are identical with plant chlorophyll. Recently Dr. McNunn has also been re-investigating these pigments, and has come to the conclusion that they are derivatives of chlorophyll, and are produced by the action of the digestive ferments on the chlorophyll of the food. This prompted Miss Newbigin to renewed experiments, the results of which, taken in conjunction with the recent observations and conclusions of Dr. McNunn in the case of enterochlorophyll, and with the fact that that pigment occurs in the fæces of Patella, seem "to justify the conclusion that enterochlorophyll at least
