226 LEPTODORA HYALINA. 
internal organs can be clearly seen. A large contractile organ is situated 
immediately behind the eye, connected by two nerves (muscles?) with 
the muscular centre between the inferior antenna. A pulsating vessel 
occupies the first segment behind the antennw. A long straight tube or 
intestine passes from the first or head segment to the last segment but 
one, where it enters a wide ccecal vessel, somewhat convoluted or corru- 
gated, which terminates at the bifurcation of the tail. Both male and 
female specimens were secured, the female differing in having a larger 
carapace, extending over the first and second segments of the body behind 
the inferior antenns, under which carapace the ova and young are 
retained until the latter are sufficiently developed to leave the parent. 
The young resemble the parent, but are thicker in proportion to their 
length, and the antenne are shorter than in the adult. 
The specimens taken (adult) varied from Hin. to nearly Zin. in length 
by about 3-64in. across the body, immediately in front of the inferior 
antenne. 
Sir John Lubbock has called attention to the capture of this species 
in some remarks made before the Biological Section of the British 
Association at Sheffield. 
EXAMINATION OF DRIFT. 
RAILWAY CUTTING NEAR WALSALL. 
BY O. BEALE, C.E. 
Referring to the paper with this heading (ante, page 201) I wish to 
make a few remarks, notes of a late visit to the work. ° 
The excavation, though not to the full depth, has now reached the 
Walsall and Wednesbury road, which has been temporarily diverted. The 
character of the deposit at this point seems to have undergone a con- 
siderable alteration from that obtaining near the junction with the main 
line. At this latter place the deposit was exceedingly uncompacted, the 
sand appearing to have little or no cohesion, and being of a rather pale 
colour. Under the road, on the contrary, the colour is many shades 
deeper, the cohesiveness, also, is increased to almost the compactness of 
a conglomerate, and the pebbles composing the gravel are of a more 
uniform size than those at the beginning of the work. 
Crossing the road to the cutting atthe James Bridge end of the line, 
T find that in the progress of the work here a difference is exhibited in 
the character of the deposit. 
The appearances here indicate, I think, that there must have been a 
considerable shoal or sand bank near the site of the old pools at the back 
of Bescot Hall. The white sand shown at this point may or may not be 
the top of this shoal, but judging by present appearances it looks probable 
that the top of the shoal was situated almost exactly on the site of the 
pools. That there was a shoal here may be inferred, I think, trom the 
purity of the sand, its comparative freedom from pebbles and stones, (if 
not their entire absence,) and the rise of the deposits towards this point 
from either end of the new line. The thin band of drift coal and smut 
