259 



elusion, that he thought the attempt to identify the palseontologi- 

 cal character of the deposits of different seas unphilosophical. 



Dr. Kneeland stated that he had found the internal capacity 

 of the crania of Troglodytes niger, presented at the last meeting, 

 to be, that of the young specimen (which was a male) 26.5 cubic 

 inches, that of the adult female, 25 cubic inches. There was a 

 want of symmetry between the superior maxillary bones in the 

 latter, and the nasals were pushed to the right. 



Prof. Wyman said that Dr. Kneeland's statements confirmed 

 a statement of his own, that the capacity of the cranium of the 

 male T. niger is greater than that of the female. The capacity 

 of the cranium of T. gorilla is not in proportion to the external 

 size, or size of the animal, that of the female being 25, of the 

 male 28 cubic inches. This is an important fact as bearing 

 upon its proper position with reference to the other ourangs. 

 Prof. Owen had placed T. gorilla first, a position not sustained 

 by this fact. Prof. Wyman remarked that the form of the cra- 

 nium in the young Ourang approaches more nearly to that of 

 man than does that of the adult, a fact seemingly at variance 

 with the general law. 



Prof. Wyman remarked, in allusion to Dr. Burnett's observa- 

 tions on parasites in the human ovum made at the last meeting, 

 that such parasites occur normally in many animals. In man 

 they are generally found in diseased parts. He had found them 

 in the mucus of the posterior nares of a bear, in the form of 

 cells with nuclei, grouped together in an elongated series, which 

 was sometimes branched. 



Prof. Rogers laid before the Society a theory to account 

 for the origin of salt lakes. 



He thought that the existence of these inland seas was con- 

 nected with the laws of climatology. In all instances they were 

 without outlet. On regarding their position it would be found 

 that they only exist in those regions where there is an excess of 

 evaporation over the amount of rain. This was true of the Cas- 

 pian, Sea of Aral, the Dead sea, and the seas of Central Asia. 

 He believed that the salt was brought down by the rivers flow- 

 ing into these lakes, they having derived it from the disintegra- 

 tion of volcanic rocks. As it accumulated, the water became 



