NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 123 



of the parent, and within two weeks was again ready for another 

 change such as is above described, and which was accomplished 

 with a similar result. The Stephanoceros being too high in the 

 scale of animal life to propagate by gemmation or division, tlie 

 process above portrayed can have but a remote influence upon 

 reproduction, as there was no multiplication by this change. 



The original cell with its retracted body within, though remain- 

 ing for weeks in an apparently perfect condition, was not seen to 

 increase or in the least to change the growth-force seemingly 

 being confined to the detached head and its accompanying organs. 



Dr. Leid}^ stated that he had never seen specimens of Stephano- 

 ceros until they were shown to him by Mr. Peirce. 



On the Disposition of the Great Omentum in Cynocephalus 

 porcarius, etc. Dr. H. C. Chapman made the following remarks : 



Man is usually regarded as being the only animal in which the 

 peritoneum exhibits that arrangement in which the great omentum 

 adheres to the colon. I take the opportunity of calling the atten- 

 tion of the members to the fact that I found the great omentum 

 more or less adherent to the colon in a Cynocephalus porcarius 

 which recently died at the Zoological Garden as also in a Mecacus 

 nemestrinus from the same institution. In the embryonic con- 

 dition of man the great omentum does not adhere to the colon, 

 and this condition usually remains permanent in the other mam- 

 mals. In the cases just mentioned we have an interesting illustra- 

 tion of a transitional stage in the development of the perito- 

 neum in man, permanently retained in monkeys. 



On the Trias of York County, Pa. Prof. Frazer remarked 

 that, as a matter of interest to students of the geology of the Trias, . 

 it may be stated that in the recent examination of these beds in 

 York County the supposed constant N. W. dip was found to have 

 very many exceptions. 



A further fact was noted, viz., the deposition of these beds at 

 their margin unconformably on the upturned edges of the lower 

 silurian limestone. 



Several indentations and bays of this limestone found on the 

 Triassic border, exhibit its last dip away from the latter, which 

 has the opposite dip. The improbability of the formation of these 

 Trias rocks by deposition along a sloping shore was mentioned. 



Mr. Young stated that observations recently made by him in 

 the vicinity of Norristown confirmed this state of facts. 



Prof. Cope wanted to know what had become of the other side 

 of the basin, if the said theoi\y of the formation of Trias were 

 true. 



Prof. Frazer replied that the theory was not his theory, and its- 

 difficulties must be overcome by its adherents. 



