NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 397 



roof, and has a transversely laminated structure, which, 

 however, disappears towards the ab-anal side of the chamber ; 

 the other is an oval mass of globular cell-like bodies, and lies 

 on the free convex surface of the laminated portion. 



Here, again, this part of the Cyphonautes is in the highest 

 degree enigmatical, and yet it is difficult not to believe that 

 in the structures just described we have an ovary and testis 

 with associated accessory structures. 



The author observed no further fact which might tend to 

 throw light on the ultimate destination of Cyphonautes, and 

 more especially nothing which might tend to confirm the 

 remarkable news lately published by Schneider, who believes 

 that he has traced its development into the polyzoon Mem- 

 branipora pilosa. The structure is considerably more com- 

 plicated than Schneider seems to be av.-are of, while the 

 opinion of this observer, that the whole of the proper CypJio- 

 nautes structure becomes absolutely obliterated and the body 

 of the animal converted into an amorphous mass of cells 

 from which the Membranipora becomes evolved, is so start- 

 ling as to compel us to wish for further confirmation of the 

 evidently careful obsei'vations of the German zoologist. 



If the ab-anal chamber described above, with its associated 

 structures, really belongs to the generative system — and it is 

 hard to say what else it can be — the view that Cyphonautes 

 is a polyzoal larva is scarcely tenable. 



5. On a Radiolarian RMzopod from the Coal Measures, By 

 W. Carruthers, F.K.vS. — In the investigation of a large 

 series of sections prepared by Mr. Norman, the author had 

 detected several spherical spiniferous bodies, not unlike 

 Xanthidia, but having a very different structure and a much 

 greater size. The hollow globular cavity is enclosed in a 

 clearly defined structure, which the author thought is a 

 fenestrated shell, but he had not been able to secure sections 

 which completely established this point. Beyond this there 

 is a considerable thickness of a spongy substance Avhich 

 rises externally into numerous cones, the bases of Avhich are 

 in close proximity. From the base of each cone there pro- 

 ceeds a hollow echinate spine. The echinations are also 

 hollow, and at the apparent base of the spines these echi- 

 nations are produced into hollow tubes which are repeatedly 

 branching and anastomosing, and, increasing in number 

 doAAmwards, enclose the radial hollow spire in the mass. The 

 whole arrangement of the parts agreed with what is found 

 in some existing forms of Radiolarians, especially in some 

 with solid spines. But the hollow structure of these organ- 

 isms indicated relations with a small section of the recent 



