Nov. 3, 1887] 



NATURE 



23 



anatomy of Turbinaria mesenterina (?), of LopJiohelia prolifera, 

 of Seriatopora su/tulata, and of Pocillopora, with a note on the 

 skeleton of Flabellum. — On the anatomy of Aliissa coiymbosa, 

 and Euphyllia glabrescens, and on the morphology of the Madre- 

 l>orian skeleton, by G. C. Bourne (plates iii. and iv.) — On 

 the intra-ovarian egg of some osseous fishes, by Dr. Robert 

 Scharff (plate v.) — Observations on the structure and distribution 

 of striped and unstriped muscle in the animal kingdom, and a 

 theory of muscular contraction, by C. F. Marshall (plate vi.) 

 The author concludes that in all muscles which have to perform 

 rapid and frequent movements a certain portion of the muscle is 

 differentiated to perform the function of contraction, and this 

 portion takes on the form of a veiy regular and highly modified 

 intracellular network. This network, by its regular arrangement, 

 gives rise to certain optical effects, which cause the peculiar 

 appearances of striped muscle ; the contraction of the striped 

 muscle-fibre is probably caused by the active contraction of the 

 longitudinal fibrils of the intracellular network ; the transverse 

 networks appear to be passively elastic, and by their elastic 

 rebound cause the muscle to rapidly resume its relaxed condition 

 when the longitudinal fibrils have ceased to contract ; they are 

 possibly also paths for the nervous impulse. — On the fate of the 

 muscle-plate and the development of the spinal nerves and limb 

 plexuses in birds and mammals, by Dr. A. M. Paterson (plates 

 vii. and viii. ) — On the ciliated pit of Ascidians and its 

 relation to the nerve-ganglion and so-called hypophysial gland, 

 and an account of the anatomy of Cynthia rustica (?), by Lilian 

 Sheldon, Bathurst Student, Newnham College (plates ix. and 

 X.). Suggests that the original function of the ciliated pit was 

 the aeration of the brain, with which it communicates in the case 

 of Clavellina ; where also its posterior part acts as a reservoir to 

 carry off the secretion of the gland. — On the tongue and gustatory 

 organs of Mephitis tnephitica, by Dr. Frederick Tuckerman 

 (plate xi.) This memoir is preceded by an interesting account 

 of the literature relating to the position and structure of the 

 taste organs of vertebrates. — On the quadrate in the Mammalia, 

 by Dr. G. Baur. He thinks that there is little doubt but that 

 the quadrate of the lower vertebrates is contained in the sygomatic 

 process of the mammals. — On the hsemoglobin crystals of 

 rodents' blood, and on an easy method of obtaining methjemo- 

 globin crystals for. microscopic examination, by Dr. W, D. 

 Halliburton. 



Bulletin de VAcademie Royale de Belgique, August. — Note on 

 the oscillations of a pendulum produced by the displacement of 

 the axis of suspension, by E. Ronkar. The object of these 

 researches is to ascertain the possibility of recording the slight 

 oscillations in the crust of the earth by means of a freely sus- 

 pended pendulum. It is shown that the pendulum retains a 

 movement imparted by a certain number of horizontal undulat- 

 ing impulses, whenever the duration of the oscillation of the 

 pendulum is the same as that of the axis, but not otherwise. 

 From thi3 may be deduced an experimental process for determin- 

 ing the periodical irregularities in the movement of diurnal rota- 

 tion. — On the colloidal sulphuret of cadmium, by Eug. Prost. 

 To the colloidal solutions of arsenious, stannic, and other sul- 

 phurets already determined, the author here adds the sulphuret 

 of cadmium, which was hitherto known only in the insoluble 

 state. He obtains a colloidal solution of this compound by 

 passing hydrosulphuric acid through water holding in suspension 

 freshly precipitated cadmic sulphur, and afterwards eliminaliny 

 by the action of heat the hydrosulphuric acid dissolved in the 

 liquid. A spectroscopic study of this clear yellowish liquid 

 shows that the cadmic sulphur is really in a state of solution, 

 the solution presenting all the characters hitherto ascribed to 

 all dissolved colloidal substances. — Description of some new 

 Cucurbitacese, by M. Alfred Cogniaux, This paper contains 

 an account of fourteen new species and of several varieties, 

 forming an important addition to the author's general mono- 

 graph of this family published in De Candolle's ' ' Monographise 

 Phanerogamum. " 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



London. 



Entomological Society, October 5.— Dr. Sharp, President, 

 In the chair. — Mr. Jacoby exhibited a ^'^^cixao.n oi Aphthonoides 

 veccarii, Jac. , a species of Haltica having a long spine attached to 



the posterior femora ; also a specimen of Rhagiosoma madagas- 

 cariensis. — Mr. Stevens exhibited a very dark specimen of 

 Crambus perUllus from the Hebrides, which its captor supposed 

 to be a new species. Mr. Porritt remarked that this brown form 

 oi Cra>/il>us perleHus occurred at Hartlepool with the ordinary 

 typical form of the species, and was there regarded as only a 

 variety of it. — Mr. Slater exhibited a specimen of Gonepteryx 

 Cleopatra, which was stated to have been taken in the North of 

 Scotland. Mr. Jenner Weir remarked that although the genus 

 Rhaninus~\.o which the food-plant of the species belonged — was 

 not a native of Scotland, some species had been introduced, 

 and were cultivated in gardens. — Mr. South exhibited about 150 

 specimens of Boarmia repandata, bred from larvae collected on 

 bilberry in the neighbourhood of Lynmouth, North Devon, in- 

 cluding strongly marked examples of the typical form, extreme 

 farms of the var. conversaria, Hiib., a form intermediate between 

 the type and the variety last named, and examples of the var. 

 destrigai-ia. Haw. Mr. South said that an examination of the 

 entire series would show that the extreme forms were connected 

 with the type by inter oaediate forms and their aberrations. — Mr. 

 Poulton exhibited young larvas of Apatura iris, from the New 

 Forest ; also eight young larvae oi Sphinx convolvuli reared from 

 ova laid on the 29th of August last. He said the life-history ot 

 the species was of extreme interest, throwing much light upon 

 that of Sphinx ligustri, as well as upon difficult points in the 

 ontogeny of the species of ithe allied genera Acherontia and 

 Smennthus. Mr. Stainton said he was not aware that the 

 larvae of Sphinx convolvuli had ever before been seen in this 

 country in their early stages. Mr. McLachlan remarked that 

 females of this species captured on former occasions, when the 

 insect had been unusually abundant, had been found upon 

 dissection to have the ovaries aborted. — Mr. R. W. Lloyd 

 exhibited specimens of Elater pomonm, and of Mesosa nubila, 

 recently taken in the Nesv Forest. — Mr. Porritt exhibited a 

 series of melanic varieties oi Diurnea fagella, from Huddersfield, 

 and stated that the typical pale form of the species had almost 

 disappeared from that neighbourhood. — Mr. Goss exhibited, for 

 Mr. J. Brown, a number of puparia of Cecidomyia destructor 

 (Hessian Fly), received by the latter from various places in 

 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Wiltshire. He also ex- 

 hibited a living larva of Cephus pygmceus, Lat. (the Corn Sawfly), 

 which had been sent to Mr. Brown from Swaffham Prior, 

 Cambridgeshire, where, as well as in Burwell Fen, the species 

 was stated to have been doing considerable damage to wheat 

 crops. Mr. Verrall, in reply to a question by Mr. Enock, said 

 he believed that the Hessian Fly was not a recent introduction 

 in Great Britain, but had been here probably for hundreds of 

 years. He admitted that he was unable to refer to any but 

 recent records of its capture. Prof. Riley said he was unable 

 to agree with Mr. Verrall, and believed that the Hessian Fly 

 had been recently introduced into this country. Its presence 

 here had not been recorded by Sir Joseph Banks, by Curtis, 

 by Prof. Westwood, by the late Mr. Kirby, or by any other 

 entomologist in this country who had given especial attention 

 to economic entomology. It seemed highly improbable, if this 

 insect had been here so many years, that its presence _ should 

 have so long remained undetected both by entomologists and 

 agriculturists. Prof. Riley said it had been stated that the insect 

 was introduced into America by the Hessian troops in 1777, but 

 this was impossible, as its existence at that date was unknown 

 in Hesse. Mr. McLachlan, Capt. Elwes, Mr. Verrall, Mr. 

 Jacoby, and Dr. Sharp continued the discussion.— Mr. J. Edwards 

 communicated the second and concluding part of his " Synopsis 

 of Y>x\\\&\i.Hoinoptera-Cicadina"—?xol Westwood contributed 

 " Notes on the life-history of various species of the Neuropterous 

 genus Ascalaphus."—C&pt. Elwes read a paper " On the Butter- 

 flies of the Pyrenees," and exhibited a large number of species 

 which he had recently collected there. Mr. McLachlan said he 

 spent some weeks in the Pyrenees in 1886, and was able to 

 confirm Capt. Elwes' statements as to the abundance of butter- 

 flies in that part of the worid. The discussion was continued 

 by Mr. Distant, Mr. White, Dr. Sharp, and others. 



Mineralogical Society, October 25.— Anniversary Meeting. 

 —Mr. L. Fletcher, President, in the chair.— After the readmg 

 of the Report, the following were elected Officers and Councd 

 for the ensuing session :— President : L. Fletcher. Vice-Presi- 

 sidents : Rev. S. Haughton, F.R.S., W. H. Hudleston, F.R.S. 

 Council (in place of Messrs. Burghardt, Danby, Dobbie, and 

 Lewis, the retiring Members) : Prof. A. H. Church, Townshend 



