1888. ] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 255 
Zoology. The work was a labor of love; and all his interests 
were centered in the great institution which he had seen grow 
from nothing. 
Dr. Holder was a member of a number of societies, among 
them the Lynn Natural History Society, the Society of Kastern 
Naturalists, the’American Ornithologists’ Union, the Society of 
Psychological Research, patron of the Metropolitan Museum of 
Art, New York City, Fellow of the New York Academy of 
Sciences, etc. Dr. Holder was a member of the Society of Ortho- 
dox Friends ; and of his career it can be said by those who knew 
him best, that few have lived a life of such absolute purity and 
uprightness, both in thought and action. 
Notice was given of the recent death of Pror. R. D. Irvine, 
and remarks upon his life and work were made by the PREsI- 
DENT. 
Miss Fanny R. M. Hitcucock read a paper entitled, 
NOTES ON THE LARY® OF AMBLYSTOMA. 
The following notes were made chiefly with reference to the 
‘‘balancers ” of Amblystoma larve. 
The eggs and larvee examined agreed in all respects with the 
description and figures of Am. punctatum and were probably 
the same species. 
The development of Am. punctatum was described by Mr. 
Samuel F. Clarke’ in 1880, but I have not, as yet, been able to 
consult his paper, and have depended on the brief abstract of it 
given by Balfour,’ which is here quoted : 
‘‘The larva of Am. punctatum is provided with two very 
long processes, like the suctorial processes in Triton, placed on 
the throat in front of the external gills. They are used to sup- 
port the larva when it sinks to the bottom, and have been called 
by Clarke balancers. On the development of the limbs, these 
processes drop off.” 
In such of the Urodela as have been studied in the larval 
stages, processes similar to these are present. 
Suctorial discs, which are regarded as the homologues of these 
processes, are found in the majority of Anura larve. Parker 
1$. F, Clarke, ‘‘ Development of Amblystoma punctatum,” Part I, 
External. Studies from the Biological Laboratory of the Johns Hop- 
kins University. No. II., 1880. 
* Balfour, ‘‘Comparative Embryology,” vol. II., p, 117. 
