140 Miscellaneous. 



pared with those of fishes ; but M. Leydig does not accept this assi- 

 milation. The kidneys, according to him, have the same structure 

 in the Ccecilice as in the other Amphibia, and even remind him of 

 the organization of the kidneys of serpents. Moreover the affinity 

 with the Ophidia does not depend solely upon the general form of 

 the body, but also upon the dentition and upon the atrophy of one of 

 the lungs. 



The predominant aifinities of the Ccecilice, however, are incontes- 

 tably with the Amphibia : in support of this we may cite the richly 

 glandular skin, the structure of the hyoid bone, the double occipital 

 condyle on the cranium, the rudimentary ribs, and the presence of 

 branchia3 in the young. We may also mention the existence of 

 lachrymal glands, which are entirely wanting in fishes. As to the 

 " false nostril," we may regard it either as a homologue of the 

 cephalic fossa of the Ophidia or as a special organ. — Siebold Sf Kbl- 

 UTcer's Zeitschrift, xviii. pp. 575-596; Bibl. Univ. xxxv. July 15, 

 1869, Bull. Sci. pp. 243-246. 



On the Spire of Voluta Thatcheri. By Prof. Feedeeick M'Coy. 



Since the description and figure of Voluta Thatcheri (M'Coy) 

 were published in the ' Annals ' for January 1868, I have got some 

 fine specimens from Wreck Reef, North-east Australia, showing the 

 spire to be rather slender, obtusely pointed, and composed of whorls, 

 the two lower of which have nine or ten conical spines in a whorl, 

 and those nearer the apex have a corresponding number of longitu- 

 dinal ridges. The transverse rows of blotches are more red than in 

 the first dead specimen, and the space between them netted with a 

 paler orange pattern defining irregular trigonal white blotches. 



I may also mention that I have likewise obtained specimens of 

 Voluta canaKculata, described in the last Number of the ' Annals ' 

 (p. 34), from the same locaHty (Wreck Reef), with the colour more 

 perfect and showing the Kneations. 



Melbourne, May 21, 1869. 



On two new Species of Gyrodus. By Sir Philip de Malpas Geei' 

 Egeexon, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., V.P.G.S. 



The author remarked upon the characters of the genus Gyrodus, 

 of which he described two new species, namely, G. Goweri, from 

 a deposit of Oolitic age on the east coast of Sutherland, having the 

 scales covered with a somewhat reticulated raised pattern, inter- 

 spersed with granules ; and G. coccoderma, from the Kimmeridge Clay 

 of Kimmeridge, having the scales adorned with a multitude of sym- 

 metrical granules, which show no tendency to coalesce. The author 

 also described a vomer of Sphcerodus gigas, bearing teeth of the form 

 usual in that genus, and remarked that this specimen established the 

 validity of the genus Sphcerodus. — Proc. Geol. Soc. June 23, 1869. 



