1 08 Miscellaneous. 



only their geological history elucidated, but their height above th^e 

 sea-level and the depth at which their water-bearing zones can be 

 reached are ascertained. 



Much careful labour has been given to this research, and a Radio- 

 lariau zone has been met with in the Millwood series at the liell 

 River in Porcupine Mountain, and the North-pine Creek in Duck 

 Mountain. Dr. D. llust, of Hanover, will describe and figure these 

 microzoa for the Geological Survey of Canada. Abundant Foramin- 

 ifera occur in the Niobrara division ; upwards of twenty species are 

 enumerated, some of which have been named for Mr. Tyrrell by Mr. 

 C. D. Sherborn, F.G.S., of London. There are also coccoliths and 

 rhabdoliths. Prisms of Inoceramus in some cases compose the rock, 

 and particles of oyster-shell and fragments of teeth and scales of 

 fishes are also present. The Foraminiferal Niobrara limestone is 

 underlaiu by the dark grey Benton sbales, containing a large amount 

 of bituminous matter, with flakes and crystalline masses of selenite. 

 The sands and clays of the Dakota formation, or basal sandstone of 

 the Cretaceous series tbroughout the district, lie uncouformably on 

 the eroded surface of Palteozoic limestones and shales. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



A Test Case for the Law of Prioritij. By E. Jeffrey Bell. 



It is now recognized by, I think, every student of Echinodcrms that 

 the tenth edition of Linnaeus's ' Systema Natura;' is that which is to 

 be cited. Those who, like myself, were content to accept the 

 instructions of the British Association Code, were forced to adopt 

 the more reasonable and general rule that the tenth edition, and not 

 the twelfth, should be cited by the publication of Prof. Loveu's essay 

 on the Echiiioidea described by Linnaeus. 



1 make, then, my major premiss, " the tenth edition of Linnocus is 

 to be quoted.'' 



My minor cannot be subject to discussion ; it is the mere state- 

 ment of a fact : — All the species placed by Linnaeus in the genus 

 Hohthiu-la in the work cited are pelagic llydroids or Tunicates. 



The conclusion is obvious : the generic name llohtlau-ia must not be 

 applied to any "• Holothurian," which, as an eminent geometer 

 remarked, is absurd. 



This is not the first occasion on which strict adherence to logic 

 has landed the dialectician in, to say the least, an untenable posi- 

 tion. How shall one escape? 



It will probably be told me that if I woi;ld only obey rules laid 

 down for me by my betters I should not have got into this scrape. 



Let us see. In the twelfth edition (17(57) Linna)us includes 

 frondosa, j^lij/i^a^is, and tJialia, as well as others, in the genus — that 



