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in the Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., IV, vii, 222. The skeleton is of the type so well known from the descriptions of Lepidosiren and Protopterus by Owen, Bischoff and Hyrtl. The teeth are much like those of Protopterus, Psammodus, Dipterus, etc., in microscopic structure, and identical with those of the fossil Ceratodus -confirming thereby Mr. Krefft's reference of the fish to the last mentioned genus. Dr. Günther names a second Australian species Ceratodus miolepis.

Messrs. A. Hancock and T. Atthey have an article on the subject in the same volume of the Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., p. 190, in which they present the conclusion that, while the fish referred to is nearest to Lepidosiren, it is probably more distinct in genus from the Devonian Ceratodus, than from Ctenodus and Dipterus, especially the former (these two genera for reasons stated being kept separate). Ceratodus, they observe, "is probably a true Cartilaginous fish, and consequently a Selachian or Placoid," and the fact that only its dental plates are known, nothing of the bony supports of the same having been found, is urged as sustaining this view.

18. Coccoliths.--Coccoliths, calcareous disk-shaped organisms, regarded by Huxley at first as a unicellular plant (alga), and afterward the secretions of his Bathybius (analogous to the siliceous spicula of a sponge) have been recently examined by H. J. Carter (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., IV, vii, 184), and found to be what they were first pronounced. Carter finds them very abundant in shallow waters as well as profound depths. After mentioning the results of chemical examinations in which he found a "granular protoplasmic disk remaining after the action of acetic acid, he adds:

"Thus, still more convinced that I had a unicellular Alga under examination, and taking a portion of the little arborescent fronds of Melobesia calcarea ("the chalk-Melobesia"), which, in about ten fathoms, occurs here in accumulated beds or banks of probably miles, certainly acres, in extent, I pulverized a portion for examination, and observed several fragments whose cells, but for their polygonal arrangement, presented very much the appearance of the coccolith in their concentric lines, transparent area. and central granule, together with the absence of blue color under the iodine test.

Lastly, considering that the coccolith is so abundant in the Laminarian zone here, and so voraciously fed upon by the Echinodermata and Ascidia, also that it is so nearly allied in composition, structure, and habit to Melobesia calcarea, that it chiefly forms the bed of the Atlantic ocean, and that it is found fossilized in the chalk, I cannot help inferring that it is a vegetable organism which contributes chiefly to form the calcareous deposits of the present day in many parts, and has done so in the formation of calcareous ones of the past, at all events that of the chalk,"

He names two species Melobesia unicellularis, from the Atlantic ocean bottom, and also the Laminarian zone on the South coast of Devon, and M. discus, from the Atlantic ocean, each stated as "accumulating in beds." The cell in each is described as calcareous, discoidal or discal, transparent, convexo-concave, consisting of two convexo-concave disks, one a little larger than the other and receiving the smaller one in its concavity, and enclosing a granular protoplasmic disk, with a central transparent area. The first is obtusely elliptical, and about 17th in. long and

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Tooth in. thick; the second is circular and about th in. in diameter. The latter is not found in the Laminarian zone.

Coccospheres of Huxley are of two kinds, and are made up of frustules of the above species, the two different kinds never occurring mixed in one coccosphere. Carter regards the coccospheres as the "sporangia of the two species of Melobesia." Besides the two distinct kinds of coccospheres, there are also the "loose type" of coccospheres of Huxley. This, Mr. Carter has not seen, but he conceives that they may represent more developed form of the sporangium or coccosphere, perhaps undergoing dehiscence.

The coccoliths must furnish food for the lower animals over the bottom of the deep sea, as they do for those along its borders.

19. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vol. I, Part 2. 376 pp. 8vo, with 7 lithographic plates. New Haven, Feb., 1867 to March, 1871.-This work has been much delayed by a fire, by which most of it was destroyed in 1869. It is entirely occupied by the "Notes on the Radiata in the Museum of Yale College," by A. E. Verrill. Under this head there are nine distinct articles: No. 1, Descriptions of New Starfishes from New Zealand; No. 2, Notes on the Echinoderms of Panama and west coast of America, with Descriptions of new Genera and Species; No. 3, On the Geographical Distribution of Echinoderms of the west coast of America, with a Comparison of the Tropical Echinoderm-Fauna of the east and west coasts of America; No. 4, Notice of the Corals and Echinoderms collected by Prof. C. F. Hartt at the Abrolhos Reefs, Province of Bahia, Brazil, 1867; No. 5, Notice of a collection of Echinoderms from La Paz, Lower Cal., with Description of a new Genus; No. 6, Review of the Corals and Polyps of the west coast of America (six plates); No. 7, On the Geographical Distribution of the Polyps of the west coast of America; No. 8, Additional Observations on Echinoderms, chiefly from the Pacific coast of America; No. 9, On the Echinoderm-Fauna of the Gulf of California and Cape St. Lucas. All these articles, except the three last, have been noticed in this Journal, from time to time, when they have been published as separate pamphlets.

Nos. 6 and 7 have also been issued under one cover, forming a pamphlet of 193 pages, with six plates. The early parts of No. 6 were noticed in this Journal last year. In the portion describing the Madreporaria several changes have been introduced in the classification, of which the most important is the institution of a new sub-order (Oculinacea) to include Stylasteride Gray (emend.), Oculinida, Pocilliporide Gray, Stylophorido, ? Stylinidæ, Astrangida, Caryophyllida. Several changes are made in the limits and characters of the families and genera: Madreporida is made (as by Prof. J. D. Dana) to include both Madrepora and Montipora; Astrangida is extended so as to include Cladocora and its allies; the Caryophyllida of Edw. and Haime are divided into two families, the second division, Turbinolida, corresponding nearly with Turbinolina E. and H.; Agaricidae Gray (emend.) is adopted instead of Lophoserida. The relations of Pocillipora

are discussed anew, and the author's view, previously expressed in other works,* that Pocillipora is a true Polyp, and not at all allied to Millepora and other Hydroid corals, is again insisted upon, and the relations of the Pocilliporida to certain fossil corals is discussed. "Its affinities with numerous extinct genera having the same tabulate structure, is a matter requiring a great amount of careful investigation. From Favositide, as a whole, it differs in having an abundant conenchyma. Favosites differs also in having perforate walls, and doubtless ought to be separated, at least as a distinct family, which has, perhaps, closer relations with Madreporacea." A number of new corals are also described and, in the Addenda, some additional new Gorgonida.

In No. 7, lists are given of the species found in each of the faunal divisions of the west coast, with their range, etc., and in some cases special local lists are added. In the Panamian Fauna 104 species occur, none of which have been found beyond the limits of that zoological province. The plates are chiefly devoted to the Gorgonacea, and two of them illustrate the spicula of many species. 20. Second and Third Annual Reports of the Trustees of the Peabody Academy of Science for 1869 and 1870, Salem, Mass., received March, 1871.-This report contains the services on the occasion of dedication of the Museum, with the address of the President of the Academy and remarks by others; the Proceedings of the Trustees; the annual reports of the officers of the Academy; lists of Additions to the Museum; and an Appendix containing several zoological articles. Prof. A. Hyatt gives an account of a specimen of Russia palpebrosa Owen (?) taken from the stomach of a hake at Manchester, Mass.,-a species not before recorded from our coast. Prof. E. D. Cope contributes a Catalogue of Batrachia and Reptilia obtained by J. A. McNiel in Nicaragua, and another of those obtained by C. J. Maynard in Florida; in the former article he describes a new lizard and a new genus and species of serpents (Enulius murinus); in the latter a new lizard and a new salamander (Manculus remifer). Prof. A. S. Packard gives a list of the Insects collected at Pebas, Ecuador, by Prof. J. Orton, and describes a new species of Attacus (A. Amazonia). Mr. S. I. Smith contributes a list of the Crustacea collected by J. A. McNiel in Central America, and describes a number of new species belonging to the genera, Leptopodia, Ozius, Arenaus, Gebia, Atya (2 sp.), Evatya (new genus), Leander, and Palamon. Several species in the collection appear to be identical with Atlantic species. The omission of the precise dates of publication of these descriptive papers is inexcusable. The report is merely dated

"1871."

On the Affinities of the Tabulate Corals, in Proc. Amer. Assoc. for Adv. of Science, 1867, p. 148; also Proc. Essex. Institute, vi, p. 90, 1869.

Since the printing of these remarks (April, 1870), a very interesting new genus of recent tabulated corals has been described by Mr. W. S. Kent, under the name of Favositipora Deshayesii (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. vi, p. 384, pl. 17, 18, Nov., 1870). This remarkable form combines a complete tabulate structure of the interior, like Favosites, with the ordinary structure of Alveopora in other respects, thus fully confirming the views quoted above.

21. On the Genesis of Species; by ST. GEORGE MIVART, F.R.S. 296 pp., 12mo, with numerous illustrations. London, 1871. (Macmillan & Co.)—This work presents the fairest and most successful argument against the sufficiency of the theory of "Natural Selection" which has thus far been published. At the same time, the author, in his two closing chapters, sustains the view of an evolution of species by secondary laws; but laws "for the most part unknown," and among which that of "Natural Selection" is only of subordinate importance. The illustrations are excellent.

III. MISCELLANEOUS SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

1. Anthracite Coal Trade of Pennsylvania.-Mr. PETER W. SHEAFER, a well known engineer at Pottsville, Pa., has prepared a diagram exhibiting the progressive development of the Anthracite Coal Trade of Pennsylvania. It embraces the period of fifty years from 1820 to 1870, and an accompanying table gives in detail for each year, the yield of anthracite of the four great subdivisions of the anthracite region, the Lehigh, the Schuylkill, the Wyoming, and the Lykens Valley, Shamokin, etc. We take the export in tons, for the years below specified, from the table:

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15,849,899

1870 3,172,916 3,853,016 7,825,128 998,839

The Schuylkill trade began in 1822, with the exportation of 1,480 tons; the Wyoming, now twice the largest, in 1829, with 7,000 tons; the Lykens Valley, etc., in 1839, with 11,930 tons.

2. Carbonic acid in outside and indoor air.-According to examinations made at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, by A. H. Pearson, under the direction of Prof. Storer, the amount of carbonic acid in the air at the Cupola of the State House, Boston (May 18, 1870), was 03139 per cent of volume; in Newbury st., Boston, near the Institute of Technology, out of 11 trials on different days, 03798 to 04999, and on one day (April 1), 03194; in Clarendon Place, near Berkely st., 03371. According to the same experimenter, the volume of carbonic acid in the air of a recitation room of the Institute, after recitation, [we omit the date], was found to be 08929 to 09762 p. c. ; in a small "weighing room of same, 13041 to 13205; in the Myrtle st. Grammar School, 13431 to 13659; in the Tremont st. id., 14335; the Richmond st. id., 17781; in the Blossom st. id., 19037; in the Appleton st. Primary School, 11092; in the Cooper st. id., 19927; in Music Hall, Tremont st., 14045; in the Public Library waiting room, on three different days, each, 13666, 13747, 19352.-Second Ann. Rep. Mass. State Board of Health, 1871.

3. Report of the Board of Health of the City of Chicago for 1867, 1868, and 1869, and a Sanitary history of Chicago from 1833 to 1870. 332 pp. 8vo. Chicago. 1871.-The officers of the Board, are Samuel Hoard, President; John H. Rauch, M.D., Sanitary Superintendent and Registrar of Vital Statistics; Ambrose Burnam, Health Officer; J. W. Russell, Secretary. The report is illustrated with diagrams and maps, and is an exceedingly important contribution to the subject. The diagrams show that the period of highest mortality at Chicago during the years 1867, 1868 and 1869, was between the 20th of July and 1st of September; and that the period of increase began late in June or very early 1st of July.

4. Effect of the Eclipse on the Magnetic Needle; by D. MULLER, (Gaz, offic. del Regno d'Italia).-On the 22d of December the magnetic needle followed its usual course till the commencement of the eclipse. It then retraced its steps until it reached its minimum declination at 1h 58m, which was the instant of totality. From that moment the ascending motion toward the west began anew, until the needle had regained the exact position it had occupied when the eclipse began.-Athen., Feb. 18.

5. Establishment of Paul Mohr in Ohio for the sale of fossils and minerals. This establishment has been opened at Bantam, Clermont Co., Ohio. Mr. Mohr, of Vienna, is in communication with various European houses, and states that he can furnish specimens or collections at low rates.

6. Corrosion of Lead pipes.-A paper on this subject, by Wm. Ripley Nichols, is contained in the 2nd Ann. Rep. of the Mass. State Board of Health, 1871.

7. Chemical Society.-Prof. FRANKLAND has succeeded Prof. Williamson as President of the Chemical Society.

OBITUARY.

LARTET, the discoverer of human relics and remains in caves and Quaternary formations in France, the principal author of the Reliquiæ Aquitanicæ, and an active member of the French Institute, died in the department of Gers, during the investment of Paris. He was Professor of Paleontology at the Museum of Natural History, filling the place left vacant by the death of d'Archiac.

BECQUEREL, the physicist, died in Normandy during the siege of Paris, at the age of eighty.

GUILLAUME LEJEAN, Secretary of the Geographical Society of France and author of various Geographical papers, has recently died.

HAIDINGER, of Vienna, the veteran mineralogist, crystallographer and physicist, and the most active promoter of scientific progress in Austria, died in the latter part of the month of March.

Catalogue of Minerals with their Formulæ and Crystalline Systems; prepared for the use of the students of the School of Mines, of Columbia College; by THOMAS EGGLESTON, Prof. Min. and Met. 2nd ed., 42 pp. 8vo. New York, 1871.

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