to amount to three hundred thousand, that of the United States to 10,000,000, which cannot be far from the truth, it will follow, that if the state of Connecticut be in this respect a fair sample of the Union, the latter contains 3,533 of those unfortunate persons; and it will be argued, with great truth, that this is a number much too large for a single school, certainly, upon any plan at present proposed to the public. But it is to be remembered, that this is the total number throughout the Union, including persons of every description-the aged, infants, slaves, and persons in entire obscurity and extreme indigence, and the greater part of them at distances very remote from any one point of the Union. In Europe, we believe, that none except between the ages of eight, and thirty, are admitted to the schools, and certainly no great advantage could be proposed from the admission of others. This limitation would at once exclude more than one half of the total number. Of those which remain, all but a small proportion would be deprived by the single circumstance of poverty from participating in the benefits of this partial charity, for let it be remembered it is but partial. Public munificence hath not yet been such as to afford any prospect that the dispensers of this charity will be able to furnish to the pupils much, if any thing, in addition to the requisite buildings and instruction. All other expences must be defrayed by their friends; and it will be easy to perceive that the want of the preliminary means necessary to their removal to the place of instruction, will be an obstacle, and it is to be feared, in most instances, an insurmountable bar to those who do not reside in its vicinity. These considerations are probably enough to show, that in the present state of this country, and of the aids which can reasonably be anticipated for an object of this nature, a single institution will, at present, be sufficient to receive and disburse all the donations of public or private charity; they are certainly enough to convince every fair mind, that it would be unwise to erect two rival seminaries so nearly in the neighbourhood of each other, as Hartford and this city. Every effort should be exerted, not to divide, but to concentrate. One seminary will be able to employ all the accomplished teachers whom it will be possible to procure. There is another consideration upon this subject which did not suggest itself to us in the proper place, and which seems nearly decisive. We have estimated the whole number of the deaf and dumb in the United States at 3,353, but this is an entire generation. According to the common computation a generation lasts thirty years; and therefore if it be supposed that all who are now fit subjects of education have received the instruction designed to be bestowed upon them, it will follow that the new cases annually occurring will be but a thirtieth part of that number, or one hundred and eleven. For the reason we have already mentioned but a small proportion of even these would ever be presented to an institution, certainly not more than a single well endowed seminary would be able to receive. But upon a subject of this nature if any analogous facts are to be found, they are to most minds more satisfactory than argument. Ifwe are correctly informed (and we derive our information from sources which we consider liable to no question) there are in England but two public schools of this description, one in London containing 200 pupils, and one in Birmingham of about 30. Besides these there are 2 private establishments, one in and one near the city of London, both of which do not instruct more than eighteen scholars. In Scotland there is a single establishment at Edinburgh of about 50 pupils. In France there are two principal schools, one at Paris of about 100, and one at Bourdeaux, the number of which we have not ascertained, but it is probably less. There are also four or five other establishments which in point of numbers are comparatively inconsiderable. We do hope that upon a subject of this sort we shall hear of no narrow local jealousies. If there must be rivalry, let it be a generous emulation who shall extend most widely the sphere of this beneficence, and not a petty wrangle as to the place of its local application. New-York already so proud and rich in her institutions can afford to yield something to less favoured cities. Let us imitate, nay, let us surpass the liberality of the citizens of Albany, Salem, and Boston. They did not withhold their charity because the institution was not at their own doors. The city of Hartford has acquired a fair preference by the priority of the exertions of ber citizens. Let us aid and not thwart them in this good work. We have enough other titles to distinction. Magnanimity is the part of greatness. We regret very much that our limits forbid our doing justice to the well written and highly interesting sermon of Mr. Gallaudet, preached at the opening of the Asylum. We wish for the honour of the country, that more of our sermonizers and orators would adopt his chaste style. The sermon is marked with strong and delicate feelings, which do honour to its writer as a man and a christian, and indicate, we think, as far as such a production could, that kind of judiciousness, good sense, and kindness, which the station filled by Mr. G. requires. We cannot deprive our readers of the pleasure which they will derive from the following extract: "There are chains more galling than those of the dungeon-the immortul mind preying upon itself, and so imprisoned as not to be able to unfold its intellectual and moral powers, and to attain to the comprehension and enjoyment of those objects, which the Creator has designed as the source of its highest expectations and hopes. Such must often be the condition of the uninstructed deaf and dumb! What mysterious darkness must sadden their souls! How imperfectly can they account for the wonders that surround them. Must not each one of them, in the language of thought, sometimes say, What is it that makes me differ from my fellow-men? What is that strange mode of communicating, by which they understand each other with the rapidity of lightning, and which enlivens their faces with the brightest expressions of Joy? Why do I not possess it, or why ean it not be communicated to me? What are those mysterious characters, over which they pore with such incessant delight, and which seem to gladden the hours that pass by me so sad and cheerless! What mean the ten thousand customs, which I witness in the private circles and the public assemblies, and which possess such mighty influence over the conduct and feelings of those around me? And that termination of life; that placing in the cold bosom of the earth, those whom I have loved so long and so tenderly; how it makes me shudder!--What is death?-Why are my friends thus laid by and forgotten?-Will they never revive from this strange slumber?—Shall the grass always grow over them?-Shall I see their faces no more for ever?-And must I also thus cease to move and fall into an eternal sleep! And these are the meditations of an immortal mind.” We cannot conclude without the warmest congratulations to the friends of humanity, at our singular felicity in opening the institution at Hartford under such favourable auspices. Considering the various moral and intellectual qualities, and the great experience required for instructors in such a seminary, it may be reasonbly doubted whether the world could have furnished two equal to Mr. Gallaudet and Mr. Clerc. We hazard nothing in saying it did not contain their superiors. Ꭱ. ART. 7. MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 5. Synopsis of four New Genera and ten TH HE Crustacea or Crustaceous are a peculiar class of animals, formerly blended with the insects; but of late distinguished with propriety, since they have gilis, a heart and blood, of which the insects are entirely deprived. The animals commonly called crabs, lobsters, shrimps, &c. belong to this class; they had been enumerated by Linneus in only three genera, cancer, monoculus, and oniscus, while they form now a large and extensive group of about one hundred and fifty genera, and one thousand species, and we only know a small share as yet. Few species of the United States had been noticed by Linneus and Fabricius, Bose has described several and Leach some, mostly new: Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill has noticed those of New-York, in his Memoir on them, presented to the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-` York; but he has not adopted the generic improvements of Latreille, Leach, and myself, (in Analysis of Nature.) Mr. Say of Philadelphia, who has wisely adopted most of these improvements, has described a new genus, Cerapus, and begun an account of the southern species, in the fourth Number of the Journal of the Phil. Ac. of Nat. Se. I shall add, thereto, fourteen new species, four of which belong to new genera; whence we may hope, that the knowledge of these animals will begin to increase in our country, and when all those which live in our lakes, rivers, and brooks, and those inhabiting the shores of Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, &c. shall be described, we may hope to be enabled to sketch a general enumeration and history of those singular beings. I shall merely give, at present, synoptical deseriptions of my new genera and species, the nature of this work precluding the possibility of giving figures and full descriptions, which must be delayed till I shall be able to frame an American Plaxology. I have given that name to the branch of Zoology which assumes the study of those animals. The former names, Crustaceology and Gammarology, being both erroneous, the first being half Latin and half Greek, the second applying, or implying, a reference to the genus Gammarus only. I. NECTOCERAS. (Ñ. Order Macruria, N. family Palinuria.) Two interior antens bearing at the top a flat appendage, the two lateral antens longer simple, eyes lateral behind them: feet nearly equal, with simple nails: tail four lobed.-Obs. The name of this singular genus is derived from the two antens which have a foliaceous and swimming appendage, and means swimming horns. It has very much the habit of its family, and particularly of the genera Crangon and Palinurus: this family is the fifth belonging to the second natural order, and is distinguished by its long fan tail, ten feet without nippers, peduncled eyes, &c. 1. Nectoceras pelagica. Rostrum subulate, equal in length to the interior antens, their appendages oboval: body smooth fulvous, tail white, with four violet spots opposed to the lobes.-Obs. It lives in the Atlantic ocean and in the gulph stream on the Fucus natans, where it was first observed by Mr. Bradbury, who has shown me a fine drawing of it; I observed it likewise in 1815. Its length is two or three inches; when it loses its hold it swims with its antens and tail. II. NECTYLUS. (N. Order Brachuria, N. Family Nectonyria.) Body eliptic, two pairs of antens ciliated, the upper antens longer; two large thick and bifid palps; feet nearly equal, the first pair a little swelled, all with flat toes, without nails; the last segment of the tail very long. Obs. The name means in Greek, swimming fingers, being contracted from Nectodactylus. It has much affinity with the genera Orithyia and Ranina, from which it differs by having all the feet without nails, and two large cheliform palps. The family Nectoryxia contains all the short tailed crabs with swimming nails or feet. 1. Nectylus rugosus. Palps cheliform two-thorned as long as the eyes; forehead three toothed and ciliated; first pair of feet with a long external thorn to the wrist; body olivaceous above, white VOL. In No. 1 beneath, thorax wrinkled, last segment of the tail lanceolate acute ciliated.-Obs. This beautiful little animal is about one inch long, and lives on the sandy shores of Long-Island, where it burrows in the sand as a mole with great rapidity, and swims with equal swiftness. It was communicated to me and the Lyceum by Dr. S. L. Mitchill, who has named it Hippaachiria in his paper on the New-York Crustacea; but the genus Hippa (or rather Emerita of Gronovius, an anterior and better name) belongs to the longtailed cancers, and this has the tail shorter than the thorax, and all the characters of Ranina, &c. III. PSAMMYLLA. (N. Order Branchypia, N. Family Gammaria.) The two upper antens, with two long segments at the base, and many small articles at the top; lower antens very short; all the feet with one nail, the last pair much longer and larger: each segment of the body with a lateral appendage, tail with four bifid unequal filaments.-Obs. The name is abbreviated from Psammopsylla, which means sand-flea. Gammaria is the fifteenth in my natural The family classification, and is distinguished by fourteen feet, four antens, body not depressed, &c. 1. Psammylla littoralis. Longer antens doubly than the head, short antens not longer than their first segment; last pair of feet double in length; bedy rufous above, white beneath.-Obs. I have found this animal in great numbers on the shores of Long-Island and New-York, and on the Hudson river, jumping about like fleas, whence its vulgar name Sandflea; it jumps by means of its hind feet and tail, like locusts. Length about half an inch, often less; eyes large and round. IV. PEPHREDO. (Natural order and family of the foregoing.) The two upper antens longer and with six long segments; all the feet with one nail, and nearly equal, the two first pairs with thick swelled hands; body without lateral appendages, tail with simple filaments. Obs. This genus was noticed in my Analysis of nature, and formed on an European species; the name is mythological. It may be deemed a singularity in this family, that this genus should be a fresh water one, and the last a land one! 6 1. Pephredo potamogeti. Long anters, scarcely longer than the head and double of the short ones; body fulvous, transparent, with a central brown or longitudina stripe.-Obs. It lives on the Potamog perfoliatum in the Hudson and the kill, near Newburg. Length three lines, creeper, eyes very small. 1. N. Sp. Astacus limosus. Antens length of the thorax, rostrum equal to their peduncle, one toothed on each side, canaliculated at its base; a thorn above the eyes, another on each flank, three pairs of pinciferous feet, bearded at their articulations, hands short, smooth, unarmed. Obs. I discovered this species in 1803, and observed it again in 1816, in the muddy banks of the Delaware, near Philadelphia; vulgar name mud-lobster, length from three to nine inches; good to eat, commonly brown, with an olivaceous tinge. 2. Astacus fossor. Antens length of the body, rostrum short, one toothed on each side, a thorn behind the eyes; three pairs of pinciferous feet, hands of the first pair very large, granular gaping toothed, with a furrowed and bispinous wrist. Obs. Vulgar name, burrowing lobster-communicated to me by Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill—native of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New-York; size from four to six inches, it burrows in meadows and mill dams, which it perforates and damages. 3. Astacus ciliaris. Antens length of the thorax, rostrum short acute, without teeth; three pairs of pinciferous ciliated feet; hands of the first, short thick dotted; wrist furrowed, with two unequal teeth. Obs. Length three to four inches, entirely olivaceous brown, lives in brooks near Fishkill, Newburg, &c. 4. Astacus pusillus. Antens length of the thorax, rostrum oval acute, a thorn and a longitudinal angle behind each eye; three pairs of pinciferous feet, hands of the first oblong dotted, wrist smooth. Obs. A very small species, living in the brooks near Saratoga, Lake George, Lake Champlain, Utica, Oswego, &c. length one or two inches; vulgar name, brook prawn, shrimp, or lobster, entirely fulvous brown. 5. Pagurus truncatulus. Right hand the longest, reaching the two following pairs of long feet; hands granular; fingers with two obtuse teeth; wrists prismatic; thorax smooth, nearly square; forehead broad, truncated.-Obs. A very small species, scarcely one inch long; it lives on the shores of Long-Island in the shells of the small species of Buccinum and Murer. 6. Grapsus limosus. Forehead broad entire, sinus of the eyes lunular, with sharp angles, sides angular entire, back convex smooth, with some transverse Winkles: feet compressed, angular, nearly smooth, hands small, smooth. Obs. A small brownish species, with yellowish hands and belly, about one inch in diameter; the body is quite square, scarcely half an inch broad. I have found it common on the sea shores of Long-Island in muddy overflowed banks, where it burrows in the mud, and is always covered with a muddy slime. 7. Ocypoda pusilla. Forehead advancing obtuse entire, shoulders flexuose with a sharp angle, sides angular with two angles below, and a suture between them, back convex shining olivaceous; feet compressed and bristly, hands unequal, the left granular, the right very small and smooth.-Obs. Shape of a short rhomboid, broader anteriorly as in all the real species of Ocypoda; those with a different shape belong to my genus Ocypete. Size of the foregoing, common in salt marshes and on the south shores of Long-Island. 8. Portunus menoides. Forehead with three teeth, the middle one longer, one fissure behind each eye, sides with five nearly equal teeth: hands prismatic, with one internal tooth, and the wrist with two teeth, the external larger, back olivaceous with small black dots.-Obs. Similar to the Portumus menas of Europe, which has, however, only one tooth to each wrist, the hands not prismatic, the forehead equally trilobed, and the back with large spots. Size from one to three inches, common in New-York, Long-Island, New-Jersey, &c. 9. Daphinia dorsalis. Antens unequally bifid, shorter than the body, branched one sided anterior, body oval, acute at both ends, whitish, with a brown streak on the back, eye black.-Obs. My genus Daphinia is the Daphnia of Latreille, which name was too much alike Daphne, an anterior genus. This species is common in the sea on the shores of Long-Island, &c. The whole length is less than one line. 10. Cymothoa pallida. Pale cinereous above, with two longitudinal whitish streaks, the three last segments of the abdomen broader, the three last pair of legs double the length of the others, body elliptic, head attenuated obtuse.Obs. It lives by suction on the gills of Fishes, Shads, Herrings, Perches, Minnows, &c. Observed by Messrs. Clemens and Torrey, near New-York: length half an inch, white beneath, tail broad and flat, appendages not much longer. Note. I am partly acquainted with many other new species of the Genera Cancer, Inachus, Portunus, Ocypoda, Astacus, Palemon, Squilla, Idotea, &c.; but it must be hoped they will be fully described by Mr. Say; if they are not, I shall endeavour to bring them to light. I recommend particularly to him and other observers, two species of fresh water Crabs, (probably of the genus Grapsus,) inhabiting the interior of our continent, which are certainly new, one of them was discovered in 1816 by Mr. Debar near Sandyhill, but the specimens were mislaid: likewise the fresh water Lobsters and Shrimps of the great lakes, the Ohio, the Mississippi, &c. I believe that there are at least two species, perhaps three, blended under the name of Limulus polyphemus. New-York, 10th October, 1817. 10. First decade of undescribed American Plants, or Synopsis of new species, from the United States. Within two years I have discovered, or observed again, in the States of NewYork, Pennsylvania, and New-Jersey, nearly one hundred new species of plants, undescribed in the late Flora of North America, by Pursh, or noticed under false names; and several others have been communicated to me by my botanical friends. In order to make them known, and to secure our claims to their discovery, I mean to publish them gradually in the synoptical shape, which I have adopted, and I offer herewith their first decade. 1. Acnida salicifolia. Stem upright branched solid angular upwards, branches erect; leaves narrow-lanceolate mucronate, and on long petiols: spikes leafy and interrupted at the base, glomerules many-flowered, capsuls unequal, commonly with five unequal sides, angles obtuse and warty.-Obs. It grows on Long-Island and in New-Jersey, on the sea shores, near marshes and ditches; it blossoms in September and October: height two or three feet, capsuls blackish purple, very slightly granular. Annual. Intermediary between A. cannabing and U. rusocarpa, but distinct from both. 2. Arabis rotundifolia. Stem upright, hispid below, leaves rounded thick, semle entire hisped, the radical obovate spathulate obtuse, stem leaves approximate nearly ternated ovate round subacute petals obcordate, double the length of the calix, siliques linear oblong, compressed, erect.-Obs. A very small annual plant, from one to three inches high, which only lasts a few months; it blossoms in March and April, grows in New-Jersey, near Cambden and Hobo ken. It produces a few white flowers, the fruits are smooth, and shaped as in the Draba arabisans and D. hispidula, which must evidently belong to this genus; it has also some affinity with Arabis reptans. 3. Arabis parviflora. (A. thaliana Pursh, Bart, &c. not Lin.) Entirely hispid, stem upright, branched upwards; leaves entire acute sub-trinervated, the radical petiolate oblong, the stem-ones oblong-lanceolate sessile: petals narrow notched, scarcely longer than the calix, siliques upright smooth, nearly cylindrical.-Obs. Annual, common in sandy soils in Pennsylvania, New-Jersey, and New-York; it blossoms in April and May: totally different from the A. thaliana of Europe, which I know well, and for which it has been mistaken. Flowers white, very small, calix hispid, upper leaves ciliated. 4. Arabis mollis. Stem upright, leaves sessile lanceolate acute, hairy, with remote teeth: flowers on long raceme and long peduncles, calix hispid, petals cuneate obtuse, entire, longer than the calix, siliques drooping sickle shaped compressed.-Obs. This species has perhaps been overlooked, being taken for a variety of the A. canadensis or A. falcata, of which it has the habit and the fruit, but it differs widely by the leaves, which are not smooth nor hastated. It is more scarce, and grows in rocky woods on the Highlands, the Catskill mountains, and near Athens, Hudson, Fishkill, &c. Mr. Torrey has found it also on the Island of New-York; it blossoms in June and July. The stem rises without branches, from one to three feet, the leaves are thin and soft. Perennial. It varies with smooth and hairy stem, sometimes branched, and a variety has oblong leaves. The flowers have the glands as in A. alpina. Dimidiated 5. Lemna dimidiata. nearly reniform notched, 2-6 furrowed, 3-7 lobed, lobes unequal; the middle one larger obcordate, underneath many rooted and dark purple as well as the upper margin.-Obs. A very distinct species, found in the Spring, in the shady ponds of Long-Island. Diameter three to eight lines, solitary or aggregated, but not adhering, roots scaly linear compressed and acute. 6. Celtis canina. Arborescent, little branches angular, dotted; leaves ovate acuminate unequally uncinate-serrate trinervate, base acute, entire, unequal, above wrinkled smooth, nerved beneath with pubescent axils: drupes red globu |