May 10, 1883] 



NATURE 



37 



and which has lately been made a subject of research by 

 G. von Koch, the costae are in solitary specimens clad 

 each with a longitudinal rib composed of a double row of 

 rhomboidal calcareous scales placed close together at an 

 angle to one another as shown in the figure. These rows 

 of scales form an almost complete outer covering to the 

 corallum. The scales seem to be wanting in colonial 

 specimens. They are extremely conspicuous and definite 

 in some of the best preserved solitary specimens, and 

 their regularity of disposition is such that it is impossible 

 to believe that they do not definitely belong to the coral. 

 They are shown enlarged in the figure. In vertical sec- 



FlG. 6. — Pholidofihyllum tubulatunt. A calicle viewed from the side to 

 show the rib-like prominences formed upon the costx by the double rows 

 of calcareous scales. 



lions of the coral they are seen to be attached at their 

 bases to the wall of the calicle. In Syringophyllum 

 organum similar scales occur covering the exterior of the 

 corallum, but these have a remarkable definite form 

 somewhat like that of the bowl of a teaspoon with the 

 handle cut off short. 



As an illustration of the possibility of Anthozoa bearing 

 opercula and scales, but not as implying any direct rela- 

 tionship between the Operculata and the Alcyonavia, 

 Prof. Lindstrom points to the structure of Primnoa 

 lepaciifera, and figures one of the polyps viewed from 

 above, showing how eight of the valve-like calcareous 

 scales present in this species close in over the summit of 

 the polyp, forming a conical operculum over it somewhat 

 as in Goniophyllum, whilst the remaining scales form a 

 representative of the calicle. He shows that, as in 

 Goniophyllum, the opercular valves differ in form and 

 size according to their position when in situ. 



In his concluding paragraph he states that he considers 

 the Calceolidas to be probably nearly allied to such forms 

 as Omphyma and Chonophyllum, whilst the Arasopoma- 

 tidas, on account of their vesicular internal structure, 

 approach more nearly to Cystiphyllum. He does not 

 consider the presence or absence of an operculum in 

 corals to be necessarily of an important classificatory 

 value, and cites the case of the presence and absence of 

 opercula in Gastropoda as a parallel one of minor syste- 

 matic importance. In this it is rather difficult to agree 

 with him. Of course the opercula in Gastropods and 

 corals are alike only in name, and as they occur so rarely 

 in the latter the suspicion naturally arises that the two 

 groups of the operculate corals may be more closely 

 allied than he suspects. However, no man knows them 

 better than he, or has a better right to an opinion on the 

 subject, and his conclusion, guarded as it is, must be 

 treated with all respect. 



A very interesting result attained and given in tabular 

 form on p. 91 is that in successive Upper Silurian strata 

 a series of three modifications of form of Goniophyllum 

 pyramidalc, starting from Goniophyllum pyramidale, 

 frimigena, the form occurring in the lowest beds can be 

 traced succeeding one another in time. Similarly Rhizo- 

 phyllum Gothlandicum, forma primaria passes by a 

 modification, R. G. mutalia, into R. Geivillei, of specific 

 rank in the Devonian formations. Other operculate 



corals show similar modifications in progress of geological 

 time. Prof. Lindstrom' s important memoir cannot here 

 be followed farther. It is illustrated by nine lithographic 

 plates most beautifully executed in Stockholm, from which 

 the engravings here given are copied, and are some of 

 the most excellent ever published of corals. 



H. N. MOSELEY 



BARON NORDENSKJOLD'S EXPEDITION TO 

 GREENLAND 



f'T'HE following Programme, drawn up by Baron 

 L -*• Nordenskjold for his expedition to Greenland, has 

 been kindly placed at our disposal by Mr. Oscar Dickson, 

 who, with his well-known enlightened liberality, provides 

 all the expenses. The Programme has not hitherto been 

 made public, even in Sweden, as Baron Nordenskjold did 

 not wish to be interrupted in his preparations with corre- 

 spondence on his plans and theories. The expedition 

 leaves Sweden in the Sofia on the 20th instant, and will 

 call at Thurso, where Baion Nordenskjold will join the 

 vessel.] 



Nine centuries have elapsed since the Norwegian, Erik 

 Rode, discovered Greenland, and founded Scandinavian 

 Colonies ; from these, Norwegian navigators some ten 

 years after sailed south to " Vinland," the fecundus, i.e. to 

 the shores of the present Canada and the United States, 

 thereby acquiring the honour for the Norse race of being 

 the real discoverers of the New World. It is not known 

 whether these voyages led to any fixed settlements being 

 established in America, but we know, on the other hand, 

 from a number of Icelandic sources, that the colonies 

 in Greenland became very flourishing. There were 

 upwards of three hundred farms, " Gaarde,' 1 of which 

 about two hundred, embracing twelve parishes, were 

 situated in the " Osterbygd," and about one hundred, 

 embracing three or four parishes, were situated in the 

 " Vesterbygd." During four centuries the country formed 

 a bishopric, from which funds towards the Holy Wars 

 were even contributed. Unfortunately, the connection 

 between the colonies and the mother country ceased 

 after a couple of centuries, while Greenland's ancient 

 Norse population was extirpated, either through plagues 

 or by " Skraellings," i.e., the Eskimo who descended 

 from the North. Another explanation of their disap- 

 pearance is that they lost their nationality, and were 

 absorbed into the Eskimo population, during their 

 contact with the more numerous tribes of the Polar 

 regions, whose mode of living was more suited to the 

 climate of the country and the resources at their 

 disposal. However that may be, there remains the fact 

 that one of the most distinct and enterprising peoples in 

 the world have been annihilated, or, perhaps, absorbed in 

 one distinguished as among the lowest, both physically 

 and intellectually. The old country, belonging to the 

 Norwegian Crown, was even so far forgotten, that it 

 was only Columbus's discovery in the south which 

 recalled the attention of the Norsemen to the fact that 

 they had once colonised a part of this world, which 

 was being parcelled out among the southern nations 

 by " Bulls " from Rome, as if it had just been discovered. 



By the aid of traditions and old journals of navigation 

 several attempts were made to reach the old, forgotten 

 colonies from Iceland, but these were frustrated by the 

 enormous masses of drift ice, which then seemed to 

 inclose the shores of Greenland's east coast, more than 

 formerly. Eventually, John Davis, in his attempts to 

 find the north-west passage, discovered that the west 

 coast was easily reached, and that the seas around it 

 offered a fine hunting-ground for the profitable whale- 

 fisheries. This, with the reported discovery of gold in 

 the country resulted in the despatch of several Danish 

 hunting and commercial expeditions, which did not, 

 however, meet with much success, until the Norwegian 



