172 NATURAL SCIENCE. March, 1893. 



Dr. Axel Goes has just described, in the Bull. Mus. Comp. 

 Zool. Harvard Coll. (vol. xxiii., no. 5), the remarkable new form of 

 arenaceous Foraminifer found during the dredging expedition of the 

 U.S. Fish Commission steamer " Albatross." This form, of which 

 the finest specimen measures igo mm. in breadth, is by far the largest 

 Foraminifer known. It consists of a "strong network of bundles of 

 very fine chitinous threads, measuring in thickness 0-003-0-006 mm., 

 incorporated with a thin layer of finest sand and dchris of shells. . . . 

 The test is leaf-formed, with outlines usually describing a triangular, 

 fan-like or reniform figure, with more or less strongly arcuated edge, the 

 whole reminding one of a Padina alga of 0-5 to 2 mm. in thickness." 

 In its earlier stages, this Foraminifer has the fan-like shape oiPavonina, 

 but, as the chambers increase in number, they no longer arch over 

 the centre, but terminate with a blunt end at the top, the lower end 

 being produced with long root-like appendages, which " serve probably 

 as fastenings to the botton, where they often are entangled in masses 

 of a Rhizammina." Dr. Goes compares this form with the 

 ynllienella of M. Schlumberger {Mem. Soc. Zool. France, iii. (1890), 

 p. 211). Dr. R. Hanitsch, on the other hand, writes to Nature (Feb. 

 16) to say that he thinks it is one of the deep-sea Keratosa, and 

 suggests that it may possibly be referred to Stannophyllnm zonarium, 

 Haeckel. 



We understand that advices have been received from the Villiers 

 Expedition to Lake Rudolph, dated Vitu, December 20, 1892. 

 Lieut. Villiers has had fever, and the command has fallen on Lieut. 

 Stanford. Mr. J. W. Gregory is reported to have been in excellent 

 health and spirits, and the expedition was to be on the march in a 

 few days. Subsequent statements, however, have appeared, which 

 show that Lieut. Villiers has recovered, and has joined the Portal 

 expedition to Uganda. 



We are glad to observe that, since our last issue. Professor 

 Lapworth has closed the controversy on the geolog}' of the Scottish 

 Highlands, by contributing to the Daily Chronicle of February 8 a 

 concise historical statement which we can endorse. 



