36 
dridium, Dictyophyllum and Protopteris, the last being doubtfully 
represented by a portion of a tree-like stem. 
THE second part of, Tome xx. of the Afémotres de la Swcitte de 
Physique et d’ Histoire Naturelle de Genéve (1870) contains an 
exceedingly important zoological paper, namely, a supplement 
to Prof. Claparéde’s descriptive account of the Chzetopod Anne- 
lides of the Gulf of Naples. This not only includes descriptions 
of many new forms discovered by M. Claparede during the winter 
of 1868-69, but furnishes him with an opportunity of effecting a 
combination between his own observations and those of Prof. 
Ehlers, whose valuable work on the Chztophorous Annelides 
appeared almost simultaneously with Prof. Claparéde’s former 
publication. The memoir is illustrated with fourteen beautiful 
plates. This part also contains descriptions by Dr. J. E. Duby 
of some minor little-known exotic mosses, accompanied by four 
plates. 
THE first and second numbers of the Bollettino del R. Comitato 
Geologico ad’ Italia, published together for the months of January 
and February of the present year, contain some interesting 
papers, among which, perhaps, the most important is that on the 
temperature of the rocks in the Mont Cenis tunnel, communicated 
by the engineer, M. F. Giordano. The highest temperature 
observed was 29'50° C. (=85:10° F.) at a distance of 6,450 
metres (about 21,000 feet) from the southern opening, at the same 
time that the temperature of the rock at 400 metres (about 1,300 
feet) from the opening was only 11° C. (= 38:2° F.). M. 
Giordano also publishes notes on the geological constitution of 
the Roman Campagna, illustrated with three long sections, 
These numbers also contain a translation into Italian of G. von 
Rath’s memoir on the environs of the lake of Bolsena, an extract 
from a paper by Prof. T. Taramelli on the Eocene formation 
of Feiuli, and some short bibliographical notices. 
THE editor of the Geological Magazine, in his April number 
(No. 82), has resumed his series of notices of eminent living 
geologists with a sketch of the scientific life of Mr. Vhomas 
Davidson, illustrated with a good portrait. That Mr. Davidson’s 
labours on the Brachiopoda fully entitle him to such an honour no 
one will be inclined to deny, but one is somewhat startled at 
learning what is the real result of his activity, chiefly in this field 
of research, and being told that his published writings occupy 
about 2,220 pages, and are illustrated with 244 plates, all or 
n2arly of them drawn by his ownhand! Mr. H. B. Woodward 
describes a curious example of the inversion of strata belonging 
to the carboniferous series at Vobster, in Somersetshire, to the 
north of the Mendip Hills, where coal is worked beneath moun- 
tain limestone. This phenomenon has been ascribed to a folding 
over of the main ridge of the Mendips, but the author adduces 
what seem to be good reasons in opposition to this view, and 
endeavours to account for it by local disturbance associated with 
faults. He illustrates his views by means of a diagram section. 
—Mr. G. H. Kinahan communicates a paper on Kolian drift or 
blowing sands in Ireland, ia which he explains these peculiar 
deposits as being the products of the action of glaciers during the 
glacial period. —M. De Rance describes the pre-glacial’geography 
of norhern Cheshire. The number also contains a reprint of 
Mr. David Forbes’ lecture on the nature of the earth’s interior, 
and the usual reviews and short communications, 
THE Transactions of the Linnean Society, vol. xxvii. part 3, 
has just been issued, containing three papers, each illustrated 
with 4to. plates :—Observations on the Lichens collected by Dr. 
Robert Brown in West Greenland in 1867, by Dr. W. Lauder 
Lindsay ; On the Vertebrate Skeleton, by Mr. St. George 
Mivart ; and Descriptions of some British Spiders new to science, 
by the Rey. O. P. Cambridge. Mr. Mivart’s article is devoted 
to a discussion of the following questions :—1. What is the best 
way to seek a friori a general view of the axial skeleton? 2. 
What is the éssential nature of ribs, transverse processes, and 
sternum? 3. What is the essential nature o! branchial arches, 
and in what relation do they stand to the ribs? 4. What is 
the essential nature, as compared with branchial arches, of the 
hyoidean arch, mandible, and more anterior structures? 5. 
What relations exist between the ‘‘ chevron” bones and other 
parts of the vertebrate skeleton? The appendicular skeleton, as 
distinct from the axial skeleton, consisting of the anterior and 
posterior limbs, is also discussed. 
THE Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Dublin 
for the sessions 1867-68, 1868-69, vol. v. parts iii. and iv., was 
published on May 3, 1871. Among the more important papers 
NATURE 

[A/vy 11, 1871 

we notice :—Prof. W. King ‘‘On some Palliobranchiate Shells 
from the Irish Atlantic ;” Prof. Macalister ‘‘ On the Myology of 
the Otter,” ‘‘On the pyloric appendages of the common Trout,” 
‘On the Flora of Kinross-shire,” and ‘‘On the arrangement of 
Pronator Muscles in the limbs of Vertebrate Animals.—Dr. D. 
Moore ‘‘On the Botanical Congress of Paris of 1867,” and *‘ On 
Addenda to British and Irish Muscology.”” Dr. A. W Foot 
“On some points observed in the dissection of an Aylesbury Duck.” 
Rey. E. O’Meara ‘‘ On’some new Arran Diatomacez ” (Plate 13). 
W. Archer ‘‘On a peculiar cyst-like structure enclosing examples 
of Staurastrum cuspidatum,” &c., and ‘‘On some Freshwater 
Rhizopoda” (Plates 8, 9, 10). _ Prof, E. P. Wright ‘‘ On 7Zxéi- 
pora musica” (Plate 11). Notes of a tour in the spring and 
summer of 1868 to Sicily and Portugal (Plate 12). These Parts 
conclude vol. v., and have title page, index, and appendices. 

SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Royal Institution of Great Britain, May 8.—Sir Henry 
Holland, Bart., M.D., president, in the chair.—The following 
Vice-presidents were nominated for the ensuing year :—Duke of 
Northumberland, Lord Lindsay, W. Spottiswoode, the Treasurer, 
Sir Frederick Pollock. William S. Burton, Arthur Samuel 
Hobson, Richard Liebreich, Abraham De Mattos Mocatta, and 
Edward Stanhope Pearson, were elected members. John Tyn- 
dall, F.R.S., was re-elected Professor of Natural Philosophy. 
Zoological Society, April 29 (Anniversary Meeting).— 
Viscount Walden, president, in the chair. After some preli- 
minary business, the report of the Council was read by Mr. P. L. 
Sclater, F.R.S., the secretary. It stated that the number of 
Fellows of the Society on the Ist of January last was 3,021, 
showing a net addition of fifty-five ordinary members to the roll 
during the year 1870. Twelve new corresponding members had 
likewise been elected during the year 1870. The total income of 
the society during the year 1870 was stated to have been 23,257/., 
being 4887. more than that of the preceding year. The total 
ordinary expenditure had been 21,364/., in which sum had been 
included every item necessary to keep the society’s establishment 
in its present state of efficiency. Besides this the sum of 3,043/. 
had been devoted to extraordinary expenditure, in the shape of 
new buildings and works in the gardens. Of these works the 
most important was the new elephant-house, on completing which 
the sum of 2,324/. had been expended. This, whenadded to the 
sums spent upon the same building in former years, had raised 
the total cost of that building to 6,356/., in which, however, the 
yards, ponds, fences, terrace walk in front, and the necessary 
arrangement of the adjoining grounds were included. Other 
works carried on in the society’s gardens during the past year had 
been the completion of the new first-class refreshment-room, and 
the extension of the system of heating the buildings by hot-water 
apparatus. The total number of visitors to the society’s gardens 
during the year 1870 had been 573,004, showing an increase of 
156 over the corresponding number in 1869. The greatest daily 
number of admissions in 1870 (28,457) was on Whit Monday, 
the 5th of June ; the least number (28) on the 3rd of March ; the 
average daily number of admissions throughout the year had been 
1,570. Thenumber of animals contained in the society’s mena- 
gerie on the 31st of December, 1870, was stated to have been 
2,118, showing an increase of 105 when compared with the 
corresponding number at the same date in the previous year. 
Among the additions made to the collection during the year 1870 
had been a considerable number of special interest, either on 
account or their scientific novelty or from not having been pre- 
viously brought to England ina living state. Full particulars 
concerning these were given, as also a list of the species that had 
bred in the society’s gardens during the year. The report then 
proceeded to give a long list of donors and their several donations 
to the menagerie, after which, in conclusion, the council con- 
trasted the present state of the society’s affairs with that which 
had existed ten yearsiago. In 1860, they observed, the total 
number of Fellows was 1,716; it was now 3,021 ; in 1860 the 
nmber of visitors to the society’s gardens had been 394.906 ; in 
1870 it had been 573,004. The total income of the society in 
1860 was 16,8647. ; in 1870 it had amounted to 23,2577. In 1860 
the reserve fund was 3,000/. Reduced Three per Cents. ; it had 
now been augmented to 7,000/. of the same stock. Moreover, 
during the past ten years, sums amounting altogether to upwards 
