1880.j natural sciences op philadelphia. 359 



December T. 

 The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in tlie cliair. 

 Twenty-three persons present. 



December 14. 



The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 



Thirt\-two persons present. 



A paper entitled " On some Lower Eocene Mollusca from Clarke 

 Co., Alabama, with some points as to the stratigraphical position 

 of the beds containing them," by Angelo Heilprin. was presented 

 for pnblication. 



The Phalanges of Bats. — Dr. Allen, in reviewing the manner 

 after whicli tlie phalanges in mammalia are enumerated, spoke of 

 the propriety of inelmling the terminal eart'laginous tip to the 

 fingers, present in many bits, in the series of phalanges. 



Authors do not hesitate in namino- the terminal cartilaue to the 

 second finger in Rhinopoma a phalanx, nor should they, Dr. Allen 

 held, hesitate in so including the terminal segments in other genera. 

 It is interesting to observe that in 3Iolossus perotis the terminal 

 joint in tlie second finger is bony, and anchylosed to the first 

 phalanx. If this plan of numbering the phalanges in bats be 

 accepted, from one to three joints are present in all the fingers. 

 The position taken by recent writers that the Phyllostomidte are 

 distinguished from other families by the presence of the third 

 phalanx to the third finger cannot be sustained, since this phalanx 

 can be counted in other families, the terminal joint, however, re- 

 maining in them cartilaginous. 



December 21. 

 The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 

 Ten persons present. 



Note on a new Northern Gutting Ant. Atta sep!entrionalis. — 

 Dr. McCooK remarked that he had the pleasure of announcing 

 an interesting discovery of a species of cutting ant upon the 

 eastern central coast of the State of New Jersey. The dis- 

 covery was made by Rev. George K. Morris at a new watering 

 place called Island Heights, which is located upon a swelling 

 bluft' on the northern bank of Tom's River, near its mouth, 

 three miles from the Atlantic Ocean, in about Lat. 40° N. 



