N. A. INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY. 731 



eralized to more and more specialized couditioiis and structures. The 

 primitive stocks, like tlie primitive Metazoa, the Porifera, were certainly 

 much more variable and unstable tbau the later and more complicated 

 forms, which are mote stable and less susceptible of change. Thus, 

 when radical changes become necessary in order to sustain the life of 

 the species of a group, they die out as did the Ammonites, or decay as 

 did the Xautiloids, and exhibit most clearly the stability they have ac- 

 quired as progressive forms in their inability to meet the requirements 

 of different modern conditions. 



Jaimes, J. r. — Fucoids of the Cincinnati Group. Jour. Cincinnati Soc. 

 Nat. Hist., vol. vii, pp. 151-lGG, pis. vii, viii. January, 1885. Cin- 

 cinnati. 



Describes the new species Cruziana CarJeyi, and finishes reviewing 

 the already described fossil algaj of the group. The author concludes 

 that there is not a single one entitled to remain in the class. They are 

 referred to three different sources: first, inorganic causes; second, to 

 trails and burrows; third, and last, to the Hydrozoa. 



JajVIES, J. F. — Are there any Fossil Algse ? Amer. JSTat., vol. xix, pp. 

 165-167. February, 1885. Philadelphia. 



The author seems to consider that there are no fossil algse, and that 

 it is unreasonable to expect to find any. 



JAjvies, J. F. — Remarks on a supposed Fossil Fungus from the Coal 

 Measures. Jour. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. viii, pp. 157-159. 

 October, 1885. Cincinnati. 



The author holds that Rhizomoriiha sigillarice Lesquereux is not a 

 fungus, but the burrow left under the bark by the grub of some one of 

 the species of insects flourishing at the time of the deposition of the 

 coal, and refers to the burrows made by species of Scolytus under the 

 bark of species of hickory as possessing the same characteristics and 

 appearances as the fossil. 



James, J. F. — Remarks on some Markings on the Rocks of the Cincin- 

 nati Group, described under the names of Ormathicuus and Walcot- 

 tia. Jour. Cincinnati Soe. Nat. Hist., vol. viii, pp. 160-16li. Octo- 

 ber, 1885. Cincinnati. 



The author considers that Ormathicuus Miller is not the track made 

 by a Gasteropod, but was really made by a crinoid stem. The author 

 thinks this is shown conclusively by a specimen found near Cincinnati 

 by Mr. U. P. James containing a part of the crinoid stem which he con- 

 siders made the mark. The genus Walcottia Miller and Dyer, two of 

 whose species are considered as crinoid-stem impressions, and the third 

 as probably a burrow, is "consigned to the limbo of the improbable." 



