432 Scientific Intelligence. 
really belong to the genus Orditoides, “ent others are but varieties of 
the ordinary type. his last is the light in which he would regard the 
Orbitolites complanata of the Paris basin ; vahieh differs at the fully- 
developed Orbitolite of the Australian coast in some very peculiar fea- 
tures (marking a less complete evolution), which are occasionally met 
with among recent forms, and which are sometimes distinctly transi- 
tional towards the perfect type. 
he author concludes by calling attention to some general principles, 
which arise out of the present inquiry, but which are applicable to all 
departments of Natural History, regarding the kind and extent of com- 
to offer a few observations on this curious group, as Dr. Carpenter, who 
has favored the Society with an interesting and valuable memoir on the 
subject, seems not to have had many opportunities of studying the ani- 
mals in the recent state. 
cep ag r more than twenty years ago I communicated to the Linnzan 
ty a paper on the subject, containing a diagnosis and figures of 
all the species. This paper was read and ordered to be printed in the 
Transactions of that igh ; but it was withdrawn by me before pub- 
lication, in consequence of my being dissatisfied with D’Orbigny’s the- 
ory (whic had pondeithers adopted), that the animals belonged to 
the one Bi and asd subsequent waar en, were confirmed by 
vant. 
observations which I have made on many hundred recent and 
living specimens ¥ various species, fully confirm Dr, Carpenter’s view 
as to the simple omogeneous nature of the animal. His idea of 
— epiedabien by gemmation is also probably correct ; although J 
annot agree with him in considering the granules whic occasion- 
ais found in the cells as ova. These bodies I have frequently noticed, 
and especially in the Lagene; but they appeared ue —— the en- 
tire mass, and not merely a part of the animal. Ia nclined to think 
they are only desiccated portions of the animal, manned from eac 
other in consequence of the absence of any muscular or nervous struc- 
ture. It may also be questionable if the term “ova” is rightly appli- 
cable to an animal which has no distinct organs of any kind. Possibly 
poraih fry aay pass through a metamorphosis, as in the case of the 
Most of the Foraminifera ere free, or only adhere by their pseudo- 
podia to foreign substances. Such are the Lagena of Walker, Nodo- 
saria, Vorticialis and Textularia, and the Miliola of Lamarck. The 
latter has some, although a very limited, power r of locomotion; which 
is effected by exserting its pseudopodia to their full length, attaching 
itself by them toa piece of seaweed, and then contracting them like 
india-rubber, so as to draw the shell along with them. Some of the 
