412 



NATURE 



[Sept. 17, 1874 



3. The measurement of distances on a Mercator chart is some- 

 what difficult, whereas on these maps distances can be measured 

 with a transparent scale, or a pair of compasses, in a few 

 moments. 



4. The relative position of the various points on the earth's 

 surface is more correctly shown on these maps than on those of 

 Mercator. 



The gi'eat circle course appears to be the shortest and natural 

 route, whereas, on an ordinary cliart, it appears to be much 

 longer than the Mercator route, and seamen get a bettter idea 

 from these charts of the proper route to follow than- they do from 

 a Mercator's chart. 



1. It may be objected that only a small portion of the earth 

 can be got on one sheet, and there is a difficulty in drawing a 

 great circle course between points situated on separate sheets. 

 This is true ; but by taking some pains in arranging the maps, 

 as has been done in this case, and by repeating portions of the 

 earth on two or more sheets, matters hive been so arranged that 

 scarcely any voyage can be named in which the ports of arrival 

 and departure cannot be found either on the same sheet or on 

 opposite sheets, in either of which cases the course can be laid 

 down instantly ; and even in the rare case of two ports being 

 found on adjacent sheets only, the course can be laid down infi- 

 nitely more easily than on a Mercator chart. 



2. It is impossible to find the bearing of one point from 

 another as can be done on a Mercator chart by a compass and a 

 parallel ruler. This really is no disadvantage ; no one ought to 

 sail along a curved course, and no one need care to know any- 

 thing about such a course. If this objection be seriously urged, 

 it only proves that Mercator's charts have put false ideas into 

 people's heads, and that other charts are required to replace them. 



SECTION C— Geology 



On the discmery of Microzoa in the ChaU; Flints of the A^orth 

 oj Ireland, by Joseph Wright. 



The author observed that until 1S72 only one rhizopod had 

 been found in the Cretaceous rocks of Ireland, viz., Ortilolina 

 concava, recorded by Mr. R. Tate, as occurring in the green- 

 sand. In November 1872, Prof. Rupert Jones read a paper 

 before the Geological Society of Ireland, in which he announced 

 the discovery of nine species of Foraminifera in the chalk and 

 chalk flints of the North of Ireland. 



Mr. Wright has examined the soft powdery material which 

 often lines cavities in the chalk flints of Ireland, and has found 

 69 species of Foraminifera, 1 1 of Ostracoda, and sponge-spicules 

 in abundance. A full list will appear as an appendix to the next 

 Report of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. 



Some observations on the " paramoudras" were added. The 

 author considers that these originated in most cases by the de- 

 posit of flint around a nucleus of sponge. A microscopic exami- 

 nation shows that some are charged with spicules, whilst others 

 are nearly free from them. 



Prof. H. A. Nicholson exhibited and described specimens of 

 three new species of Cystiphylluin from the Comiferous limestone 

 of Canada and Ohio. Of these, C. Ohiocnsc, Nich., is distin- 

 guished by its small size, deep, pointed calice, and small number 

 of septa ; C. squamosum, Nich., . is remarkably flattened, the 

 calice being very shallow and oblique; C. frttcticosum,'H\tii., 

 is a compound form, composed of numerous cylindrical, straight 

 or slightly flcxuous corallites. 



The next paper, by the same author, was devoted to the defi- 

 nition of several species from the Lower Silurian of Ohio. Alccto 

 inflala of Hall was regarded as an undoubted Hippotltoa. 



Description of iint> species of Polyzoa from the Loiver and 

 Upper Silurian rocks of North America, by Prof. H. A. Nichol- 

 son. — In this communication the author described the following 

 new sjjecies of Polyzoa; — I. JVilhii^tya fdciformis, Nich. ; 2. 

 P. emacerata, Nich. ; 3. P. flagcllum, Nich. ; 4. P. > arctipora, 

 Nich. ; 5. P. fenestelliformis, Nich. ; 6. Fettestella nervata, Nich. 

 7. Ceramopora Ohioensis, Nich. 



Prof. Nicholson also read a paper on species Favistella. The 

 type of the genus F. sttllata. Hall, he regarded as identical with 

 Goldfuss' Coluinnariaalvcolata. A new species /^ir'/.t/i'/Zf? (Colum- 

 naria) calicina, Nich, , was described. 



These papers were illustrated by numerous and beautiful 

 examples of the species refened to. 



Note on the so-called " Craf bed of Bridlington, by J. Gwyn 

 Jeffreys, F. R.S. 



In consequence of a request made by the late Prof. Phillips, 

 not long belore his lamented death, the author examined all the 

 known collections of fossil shells from the celebrated "Crag" 

 beds at Bridlington, and had furnished the Professor with a cata- 

 logue raisoinic'e for the new and forthcoming edition of his work 

 on the Geology of Yorkshire. Dr. Jeffreys was lately at Brid- 

 lington with Mr. Leckenby, and ascertained that the "Crag" 

 bed underlay the boulder-clay, and rested conformably on a 

 bed of oolite shale of a purplish colour, which in one place ap- 

 peared to have been triturated and redeposited in the form of 

 clay. In this purplish clay tliey found a specimen of Turrilella 

 erosa, Couthouy (an arctic aird North American shell), besides 

 miny other species whicli were comnaoa to the boulder-clay and 

 Bridlington bed. All tire species of shells found in the Bridling- 

 ton bed, 64 in number, were high northern and now living. 

 The author suggested that this deposit of shells might have been 

 caused either by a deviation of the great arctic current in ancient 

 times or by glacial conditions. It had clearly no relation to the 

 Norwich Crag, as. was formerly imagined to be the case. 



SECTION D— Biology 



DErARTMENT OF AN.-iTOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 



This department was not distinguished by any communication 

 which excited such popular interest as that of Prof Ferrier last 

 year, but it was fullyirp to the average of the last few meetings 

 in the solidity of the papers and of the discussions. The Presi- 

 dent, Prof Redfern, opened the Section with the address printed 

 in full in Natijre, vol. x. p. 327, which was no less admirable 

 in style and elocution than in matter. If this was a model of a 

 professorial lecture, the address of Dr. Hooker, also delivered 

 before the entire Section, was equally one of a popular exposition 

 of new and difficult scientific observations. The excellent series 

 of illustrations and the actual specimens of the plants described, 

 which were sent by Dr. Moore (rom the houses of the beautiful 

 Botanical Gardens in Dublin, completed the interest of this 

 admirable address. 



The only report made to the department was from the com- 

 mittee appointed to investigate the conditions of intestinal secre- 

 tion. It contained detads of about si.xty experiments, which 

 confirmed, in the case of cats, Moreau's observation of the effect 

 of division of the mesenteric nerves, showed that the secretory 

 nerve fibres did not pass through the splanchnics, and ascer- 

 tained the local effect of various neutral salts on intestinal secre- 

 tion, as well as the interference of chloral, morphia, and other 

 drugs with the local action of magnesian sulphate. The com- 

 mittee* was reappointed for the present year to continue these 

 researches on the secretion and the movements of the intestines. 



The most important communication on the first day was Irom 

 Prof. Cleland, On the BnYlopmeut of the Brain and the J\Jor- 

 phology of the Auditory Capsule. Beside many char-acteristically 

 ingentous sttggestions, the author maintained that the fourth 

 ventricle is roofed in by nervous matter at an early period in the 

 embryo, of which the ligula and the choroid plexus are the per- 

 manent vestiges. He also attempted to draw a parallel between 

 the flocculus with the porlio mollis and the optic lobes, tracts, 

 and nerves. Prof Huxley criticised these views at some length, 

 dweling particularly on the comparatively late development of 

 the oplic tracts, and denying that the roof of the primitive 

 nervous canal is ever completed in the region of the bulb. A 

 certain Goodsirian transcendentalism which appeared in Prof 

 Cleland's remarks has become rare among the younger school of 

 morphologists, and probably stimulated his critic to attack what 

 must have seemed like the revival of a thrice-slain foe ; but 

 apart from interpretations and views, there were several im- 

 portant observations in the paper which, it is hoped, will be 

 given in detail with the necessary drawings. 



A paper by Mr. Thomson followed. On the Decomposition of 

 Eggs, in which the purely chemical changes, the penetration of 

 bacteria, and the growth of fungi were severally described ;t and 

 Dr. Macalister exhibited a human skull with the rare abnormality 

 of a lacrymo-jrtgal suture. 



After the crowded audience which listened to Dr. Hooker's 



* Dr. Bi-uaton and Dr. Pye Smith. 

 + This paper will be found reported 

 Sept. 9. 



the London Medical R ecord for 



