800 PALEONTOLOGY. 



by calcite (pseudomorph), also on others which are Calcispongige 

 fibrosse. E. B. T. 



Zittel, Prof. Karl A. V eher Cosloptychmm. Ein Beitrag zur Kennt- 

 niss der Organisation fossiler Spongien. [^Cceloptychium. A Con- 

 tribution to onr Knowledge of the Organization of Fossil Sponges.] 

 Ahh. h. hay. Ak. Wiss. Bd. xii. Abth. iii. pp. 80 ; 7 pis. 



A memoir on the fossil sponges described originally by Goldfuss 

 tinder the name of Coeloptychium. Shows that these sponges properly 

 belong to the Hexactinellidae, and gives an account of the structure of 

 the skeleton and flesh- spicules. Ten species of the genus are fuUy 

 described, of which C. Seebachi is new. The genus is defined as com- 

 prising pedunculate sponges, generally resembling a table, umbrella, or 

 mushroom in shape, but sometimes widely infundibuliform. The w^all 

 is thin, folded externally in a meandrine manner by strong, often 

 branched, radial folds, which are only visible inferiorly, being covered 

 superiorly and on the sides by porous plates. There is a central body- 

 cavity, subdivided, by the folding of the wall, into radially arranged 

 canal-like side-chambers. The peduncle is hollow. The skeleton is 

 formed of sexradiate spicules of silica united into a coherent lattice- 

 work, and of numerous isolated flesh-spicules of varied shapes. H. A. N". 



, [Eossil Sponges and Eadiolaria.] iV. Jahrh. Heft iii. pp. 286- 



289. 



Preliminary notice of recent work on the fossil Hexactinellidas, with 

 special reference to the genus Coeloptychium, Goldf. In the residue 

 obtained by treating the sponges with acid several Eadiolarians new 

 to Cretaceous rocks have been discovered. F. W. R. 



Zittel, Prof. Karl, and Prof. W. Schimper. Handbuch der Palaeon- 

 tologie. [Handbook of Palaeontology.] Bd. i. 1 Lief. pp. 128 ; 56 

 engravings. 8vo. 



The zoological portion is undertaken by Prof. Zittel, the botanical 

 part by Prof. Schimper. Pp. 1-52 are occupied with the consideration 

 of a number of general questions, such as the scope of palaeontology, 

 the laws of fossilization, the relations of palseontology to zoology and 

 botany, the mode of occurrence and succession of fossils in the stratified 

 deposits, the history of the science, &c. The remainder is occupied 

 with the distribution in time of the Protozoa (excluding the Spongida, 

 in accordance with the views of Haeckel). . The fossil Foraminifera 

 and Radiolaria are fully treated of, all the genera being defined shortly, 

 and many original figures given. H. A. N. 



