Oct. 20, 1870] 
and tracing it to the native rock, he obtained the crushing of a 
sufficient portion to prove that it was distinctly, though not 
remuneratively, auriferous. 
Some Remarks on the Denudation of the Oolites of Bath,—Mr. 
W. S. Mitchell. The author held that there was no proof estab- 
lishing the continuity of the Oolites. He thought they were 
accumulated locally, and, as it were, in patches, with currents 
sweeping in between. The sedimentary matter which followed 
filled in the spaces forming the Bradford clay. Denudation sub- 
sequently came into play, and the ready-yielding clay formed the 
valley. 
' On an Antholite discovered by Mr. C. P. Peach.—Mr. W. 
Carruthers. Various estimates of the position and of the struc- 
ture of this fossil had been formed, but the specimens found by 
Mr. Peach established that the bud sprang out of the axil of a 
bract, and consisted of several scales supporting three or four 
flowers, having fruits which had been described as species of 
Cardiocarpum. 
On the Sporangia of Ferns from the Coal Measures.—Mr. W. 
Carruthers. These organs were found in what were called coal- 
balls, from the beds of coal at Bradford and Halifax. They 
exhibited the structure, form, and attachment of the sporangia of 
some recent hymenophyllaceous genera, 
SEcTION D.—B1oLocy 
Department of Zoology and Botany 
On the Larval State of Molgula, with description of several 
new species of simple Ascidians.—Mr. A. Hancock. The 
author described the tadpole larvae of MJolgula complanata, and 
referred to the Amceba-like form of larva described by Lacaze 
Duthiers, as found in AZ. ‘udulosa; but it may be doubted 
whether this species is a Ao/gu/a, and reasons for believing it to 
belong to a new genus Zugyra were given. Many new species 
were described belonging to the genera Ascédia (11), Carella 
gen. nov. (2), Crona (1), Molgula (3), Eugyra(1). Many of these 
species were sent to Mr. Hancock by Dr. Bowerbank, Rey. A. 
Norman, and Mr. A. G. More. 
On the Structure of the Shell in the Pearly Nautilus.—Mr. . 
Woodward. After referring to the great interest attaching to the 
Nautilide on account of their vast geological and geographical 
range, the author proceeded to describe the structure of the shell 
with its septa and siphuncle, the latter structure being only found 
in the Cephalopoda and nearly confined to the Tetrabranchiate 
division of the class. The camerated structure, however, is found 
both among the Bivalves and Gasteropoda, and the author sug- 
gested that ifany incipient character could be found leading up as 
it were to the siphuncle, we might fairly infer that that structure 
was only a more highly-differentiated form of shell-growth. Such 
incipient structure occurs in the Ostreade and Spondylus, in which 
the shell-muscle dips down from layer to layer, offering a rough 
similarity to the siphuncle in Aéuria and some other Vauizli. 
Mr. Woodward described the structure of the shell, and 
showed by actual dissection that no vascular system exists 
between the shell and the animal by means of the siphuncle. 
The siphuncle proves only to be a pearly tube, within which is 
another composed of an extension of the periostracum, and quite 
destitute of vascular or cellular structure. Shell structure proves, 
when once formed, to be dead matter, destitute of change, and can 
only be repaired when in contact with the mantle of the shell. 
On a New Species of Coral.—Mr. W. S. Kent. In 1869, 
when examining the collection of Madrepores in the Paris 
Museum, the author found a worn specimen having a close 
general resemblance to A/veofora fenestrata, Dana. A superficial 
examination at once showed it to be quite distinct from that 
Species, and the presence of numerous irregularly-disposed but 
perfect and well-developed tabulz demonstrated its close relation- 
ship to the ancient genus Favosites; the cretaceous genus 
Koninckia forming the immediate connecting link. To this 
remarkable form he gave the name Fuvositipora deshayesana. 
Diagrams were exhibited showing the structure of this new coral, 
as also photographs of the original specimen. 
The Secretary read a letter from Dr. J. E. Gray, of the 
British Museum, in which he described anew genus, Cad//sphera, 
for the beautiful sponge from Setubal, described by Mr. Kent as 
Pheronema grayi, and which he believed differed in several 
particulars from the genus Pheronema. He also provisionally 
referred the Ho/tenia pourtalesii of Schmidt to the genus Vazella, 
and the same author’s 72¢://a folyura to the genus Folyurella, 
NATURE 
595 
Mr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys, who had just returned from the south of 
Europe, after having accomplished his part of this year’s deep- 
sea exploring expedition in H.M.S. /orcupine, stated that in 
this cruise he had dredged across the Bay of Biscay, and along 
the coasts of Spain and Portugal to Gibraltar. The weather had 
not been favourable ; but the depth reached was 1,095 fathoms. 
A large collection of Mollusca, Echinoderms, Corals, Sponges, 
and Hydrozoa, had been made. Half-a-dozen specimens of a 
beautiful new Pentacrinus (P. wyville-thomsoni) had been taken 
in 795 fathoms depth, between Vigo and Lisbon. Both 
Northern and Mediterranean species of shells were met with. 
On the Vegetable Products of Central Africa.—Colonel Grant. 
On the Parasitic Habits of Pyrola rotundifolia.—Mr, Gibson. 
In the discussion which followed this paper, the opinion was 
expressed that the parasitism of this species was not yet proved. 
On the Desert Flora of North America.—Dr. C. Parry. 
Note on Ribes spicatum.— Professor Lawson. 
Mr. E. Birchall exhibited a beautiful collection of Hybrid 
Sphingidz and other Lepidoptera. 
Department of Ethnology and An*hropology. 
Account of the Exploration of the Victoria Cave, Settle, York- 
shire.— Mr. Boyd Dawkins. 
Account of certain remarkable Earth Works at Wainfleet, Lincoln- 
shire.—Rev. C. Sewell. 
On Ancient Sculptures and Works of Art from Trish Cairns,— 
Dr. Conwell. The author gave a brief account of his dis- 
coveries and researches during the summer of 1865, among the 
ruined remains of thirty-one cairns, extending along ‘‘the Lough- 
crew Hills,” in the county of Meath, about two miles south- 
east of the town of Oldcastle. So far had these ancient remains 
escaped all public attention previously, that it was only during 
his investigation of them that an officer was sent from the 
Ordnance Department to insert them upon a map, which is now 
zincographed and sold by the Ordnance publishers. Revered 
and sacred in former ages as must have been these resting-places 
of departed splendour, standing out conspicuously on the peaks 
of a range of hills rising to the height of nearly a thousand feet 
above the level of the sea, in the proverbially flat country of 
Meath, it is very remarkable that the site has not yet been 
identified with any description, reference, or allusion, in the 
ancient annals of the country. The unroofed chambers, and the 
fragments of broken urns, afforded practical evidence that these 
ancient tombs had been plundered at some previous period, and 
this fact gives additional interest to the miscellaneous collection 
of articles of stone, bronze, iron, amber, glass, bone, &c., found 
in them. 
In the remains of fourteen of the cairns, the large upright 
stones, to the number of 115, which formed the interior chambers 
of the cairns, were found inscribed with devices, almost entirely 
novel, sometimes fzzched, and at other times engraved, the 
diversity of which may be inferred from the fact, that out of all 
this number there are not two alike. No key has yet been found 
for reading or interpreting these devices. A series of drawings 
were exhibited of the symbols on thirty-one stones from a sino/e 
cairn at Loughcrew, being exactly the number of inscribed 
stones in the two well-known cairns of Dowth and New Grange, 
taken together in the same county. 
The following are some of the more remarkable objects of 
art which were found :—Several small stone balls of various 
colours, one of syenite beautifully polished, and nearly three 
inches in diameter, and another somewhat larger, of brownish 
red hzematite or iron-stone ; an oval object of jet-like appearance 
and polished ; two pendants and a bead, all of different colours, 
evidently portions of a necklace of stone ; aring; probably part of 
an ear-ring, made of jade, and nearly worn across in one place ; 
one polished flint nodule ; one leaf-shaped flint arrow-head. 
Of bronze, were found several small open rings, and a very 
perfect bronze pin, with ornamented head. 
Of iron, as might be expected, in a much corroded state, some 
fragments of uncertain use, two small iron rings, a piece of iron re- 
sembling one leg of a compass ; another an iron chisel or punch. 
Of amber, some small beads of different shapes and sizes. 
Of plain glass, some small beads differing in shape and colour ; 
and one “‘ double bead,” imperforated, and of a soft green hue, 
and some glass fragments. 
Of bone, were obtained two bone beads, some bone pins—one 
with ornamented shaft and a metallic rivet, apparently for 
attaching a bead ; a collection of the remains of nearly 5,000 
worked bone flakes of various sizes and patterns, in a few 
instances preserving their original polish, as if quite modern; and 
