78 REPORT—1852. 
On the Geographical Distribution of Animals in connection with the Progress 
of Human Civilization. By Wit.tAM Oeitsy, F.Z.S. 
The author treated his subject in a very popular manner, and pointed to the less 
civilized nations of the world, as being so from the absence of animals capable of do- 
mestication. America and Australia were the great types of this deficiency. The 
following conclusion of his paper will give an idea of the general argument and style. 
“‘Let us now examine the facilities which the natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa 
possessed for developing civilization compared with those of America and Australia. 
The former had those great collaborateurs in their social progress, they had the horse, 
the ass, and the camel, for beasts of burden; and they had the sheep, the ox, and the 
goat, for food andathousand other useful purposes. The consequence of this was, 
that, at a very early period—at a period of which there are few authentic historical 
documents extant—the nations of Western Asia had advanced in civilization to an 
extent which is now only beginning to be thoroughly understood and appreciated. 
The researches of such eminent men as Dr. Layard into the antiquity of Assyria and 
Egypt, prove this beyond question; and show that those nations had advanced toa 
power which in modern times has scarcely been equalled, and that we are only now 
in the same state with regard to civilization that they were three or four thousand 
years ago; whilst the less fortunate inhabitants of America and Australia would be 
obliged, by the want of those facilities possessed by the former, to remain in their 
original condition for eternity.” 
On the Homologies of the Cranial Vertebre. By Professor Owen, F.R.S. 
On some Fishes, Crustacea and Mollusca found at Peterhead. By C.W. Peacu. 
The fish were Yarrell’s blenny (Blennius Yarreliii) in considerable numbers, and 
Ray’s bream (Brama faii). A new species of Hippolyte, and several specimens of 
Limapontia nigra, constituted the contributions to the Fauna of Peterhead. 

On the Character of the Sertularian Zoophytes. 
By Wyvittet T. C. Tomson. 
Mr. Thomson’s remarks were confined to the pointing out of some of the most re- 
markable peculiarities in this very numerous class of zoophytes. He described their 
appearance and the circumstances under which they are found; and exhibited bottled 
specimehs of most of the species found along the Aberdeenshire coast. With regard 
to the specific distinctions of those species, he conceived that the standard of classifi- 
cation hitherto adopted was by no meansa safe one. As an instance of this he referred 
to the Sertularia rosacea and Sertularia margarita, which had been described by na- 
turalists as belonging to separate species; but on recent and minute investigations it 
hasbeen found that there is no specific distinction between them, and that they belong 
to a third, Sertularia pinasta. He suggested that, instead of the ovigerous vesicles 
being regarded as the principle of comparison in determining the species, the stem and 
general skeleton should be adopted as being more fixed and invariable. 

PuHysIoLoey. 
On the Part played by the Cavernous Sinus in the Circulation of the Brain. 
By Dr. J. BARKER. 
On a New Effect produced on Muscles by the Electrie Current. 
* By Dr. E. pu Bots-Reymonp. 
Last spring, Dr. Bence Jones of London, whom I am proud to call my friend, 
published a short abstract of my Researches in Animal Electricity. To those who 
