Linncemi Society. 461 



the structure of the animal to which belonged those fossils with 

 which we are so familiar under the name of Orthoceratites. He is of 

 opinion, that these fossils, in their living condition, existed as a shell, 

 enveloped within the body of the animal to which they belonged. 

 He has distinguished three genera of these shells, to which he as- 

 signs the names Actbioceras, Ormoceras, and Huronia. The Mar- 

 quis of Northampton also has examined those minute spiral shells 

 which occur in the chalk and chalk flints, and have been termed 

 Spirolinites. And, finally, under this head I must mention Mr. 

 Alfred Smee's paper on the state in which animal matter is usually 

 found in fossils. 



Mr. Austen's hypothesis of the origin of the limestone of Devon, 

 though belonging in some measure to Geological Dynamics, may 

 perhaps be mentioned here, since he explains the position of those 

 beds by reference to the habits of the coral animal. Mr. Austen 

 lias already shown himself to us as an excellent observer ; and in con- 

 structing geological maps, a task requiring no ordinary talents and 

 temper, he has earned our admiration. We shall therefore not be 

 thought, I trust, to depreciate his labours if we receive with less 

 confidence speculations in their nature more doubtful. As we can 

 hardly suppose the calcareous beds of Devon to have had an origin 

 different from those of other countries, we cannot help receiving 

 with some suspicion a doctrine which would subvert almost the 

 whole of our existing knowledge of the relations of fossiliferous beds 



of limestone. 



linNjEAN society. 

 Dec. 4, 1838. — Read, " Observations on the Anatomical and 

 Physiological Nature of Ergot in certain Grasses." By E. J.Queckett, 

 Esq., F.L.S. 



From the observations detailed in this paper, which have been fol- 

 lowed up in many ergotized grasses, Mr. Queckett is inclined to be- 

 lieve that the ergot is a grain diseased by a particular parasitic fungus 

 developing in or about it, whose sporidia find the young state of the 

 grain a matrix suitable for their growth, and quickly run their race, 

 not entirely depriving it of its vitality, but communicating to it such 

 impressions, which pervert its regular growth, and likewise the 

 healthy formation of its constituents, being at last composed of its 

 diseased materials, which are mixed up with fungic matter, which 

 has developed within it. 



Dec. 18. — Read, "A notice of Cereus tetraaonus," by Edward 

 Rudge, Esq., F.R. & L.S. 



Read, " Descriptions of the Indian species of 7m," by D. Don, 

 Esq., Libr. L.S., Prof. Rot. King's College. 



Read, " Additional observations on the Spongilla fluviatilis." By 

 John Hogg, Esq., M.A., F.L.S. 



.Ian. 15, 1839. — Read, " A notice of the EncrphulartOK horridus, 

 which flowered at Kinmel Park." By Mr. 'I'humas Forrest. Com- 

 municated by the Secretary ; also " An account of the Indian sj)ecies 

 of Juncus and Luzulu." By D. Don, Esq., Libr. L.S., Prof. Bot. 

 King's College. 



