290 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



whereas, in the teeth themselves, as is well known, there is 

 no enamel present. Another peculiarity is that behind each 

 primitive tooth a second smaller sac is seen, which corre- 

 sponds in all its relations with the germ of the permanent 

 tooth in other mammalia. Consequently, Tatasia peba at 

 least, among the Dasypodidw, is not monophyodont, as has 

 been previously stated by Rapp, Gervais, and Flower; from 

 which it may be inferred that the Edentata, as an order, must 

 have descended from a truly diphyodont type, and have be- 

 come subsequently specialized. 12 A, IX., 192. 



COMPOSITION OF BONE. 



According to Messrs. Marley and Donath, the compound 

 of osseine with phosphate of lime, which exists in bones, is a 

 mechanical mixture and not a chemical compound. The 

 grounds of this conclusion are found in the facts that osseine, 

 when kept in contact with phosphate of lime, does not enter 

 into combination with it, and that other colloid bodies be- 

 sides osseine and gelatine, such as albumen, when earthly phos- 

 phates are precipitated from the same solutions, are precipi- 

 tated together with the phosphates. 



DIFFERING STRUCTURE OF THE TARSUS IN THE CERVID^E. 



A very suggestive anatomical fact has been pointed out 

 by Sir Victor Brooke respecting the tarsus in certain of the 

 Cervidce. He finds that, in the species of the genus Cervicitis 

 (the Muntjacs), the tarsus, instead of consisting of a naviculo- 

 cuboid bone, together with two separate cuneiform bones, 

 has the outer of the two cuneiform masses anchylosed to the 

 naviculo-cuboid mass to form a single bone, leaving the mi- 

 nute internal cuneiform free. In a very young specimen of 

 Cervulus muntjac the cuboid was free, and the naviculars an- 

 chylosed to the outer cuneiform bones, showing that the tend- 

 ency to blend in this direction is greater than that of the 

 naviculars and the cuboid to combine. This same peculiarity 

 is also found in the Pudu deer of South America. 12 A, IX., 

 191. 



DUPUY ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CEREBRUM. 



M. Dupuy, as the result of a number of experiments which 

 he has lately made, with a view of testing the accuracy of 



