338 Proceedings oj the British Association for 1850. 



enumerated, shews beyond question that there is a distinct 

 distribution of them horizontally, and that the elements of 

 our marine Fauna are derived from opposite directions, 

 mingled, however, with a general assemblage, of which the 

 British Seas may be regarded as the centre. To the influ- 

 ence of the Rennell's current we may attribute much of the 

 southern element in our marine Fauna ; to that of cuiTents 

 setting in from the north, the Scandinavian and Arctic ele- 

 ments. But when all the cases of distribution clearly to be 

 attributed to such influences are enumerated, there remains 

 a residue which we can only explain by going back to epochs 

 anterior to our own, and to a difl'erent conformation of the 

 coast of Europe, and a difi^erent set of currents from those 

 wliich now prevail. 



" On the European Species of Echinus, and the Peculiari- 

 ties of their Distribution," by Prof. E. Forbes. — When the 

 author published his account of the British Echinodermata, 

 he laid great stress on the distinctive character furnished by 

 the sculpture of the spines in each species. In this communi- 

 cation he endeavoured to shew that these characters bear 

 definite relations to the more important features of the or- 

 ganization of the test, and that through them we are enabled 

 easily to recognise even the most aberrant varieties of each 

 species. 



Ethnological Sub-Section. 



The following interesting memoirs were read : — 



On the Sicilian and Sardinian Languages, by Mr J. Hogg. 



Remarks on the Present State of the Natives of New Zea- 

 land, by the Rev. J. F. H. Wahlers of Otago. 



Observations on the Religious Rites, and the affirmed 

 Practice of Cannibalism, of the New Zealanders, by Dr T. 

 Hodgkin. 



Remarks on the Scottish Picts, and on that remarkable 

 event in our national history known as the '* Scottish Con- 

 quest," by Mr D. Wilson. Mr Wilson went into an investi- 

 gation of evidence which indicated, first, that the Picts were 

 the earlier native Celtic race ; that the Scots were also a 



