Notes and Comments. 55 



from the Lower Lias of Charmouth) are represented only by 

 a confused mass of hooklets. Of the other fifteen examples, 

 in one there are a few solitary hooklets ; in another the number 

 of the arms is very indistinct ; in two the remains of only two 

 arms are preserved ; in one there are traces of three arms ; 

 in two there are indications of three, or possibly four, arms ; 

 and in one there is a confused mass of possibly four arms ; 

 and in one there are the remains of four, or possibly of five, 

 arms. In each of the remaining six specimens six arms can 

 be more or less clearly made out, while there is not a single 

 example in which more than six uncinated arms are displayed. 



TENTACLES OF BELEMNITES. 



Of the six examples that exhibit six uncinated arms four 

 are stated to be from the Lias of Lyme Regis ; one is from the 

 Lias of Charmouth ; and one was obtained from the Lower 

 Liassic shales between Charmouth and Lyme Regis. From a con - 

 sideration of these specimens, the speaker concluded that the 

 cephalopod represented by these uncinated arms is the animal 

 known as the belemnite, and that the six uncinated arms were 

 arranged in three pairs of unequal length, of which the longest 

 pair was lateral, the medium sized pair probably dorsal, and 

 the shortest pair probably ventral. He considered the presence 

 of tentacular arms to be doubtful. These observations were 

 in accord with those of Huxley, who, in his ' Memoir ' already 

 cited, stated that he had ' not been able to make out more 

 than six or seven arms in any specimen, nor has any exhibited 

 traces of elongated tentacula, though the shortness of the 

 arms which have been preserved would have led one to suspect 

 their existence.' The speaker regarded certain markings 

 sometimes to be seen on the guard as indicating that during 

 the life of the animal the guard was almost, if not entirely, 

 covered by the mantle, in which case it was highly improbable 

 that the guard was pushed into the soft mud cf the sea-bottom 

 in order to act as an anchor. He considered the animal to 

 have been a free swimmer, swimming forward ordinarily, but 

 when desirable, capable also of sudden and rapid propulsion 

 backwards. 



The Entomologist for January contains a paper on ' Two Days' Collect- 

 ing in Lancashire and Cumberland.' 



Animal World for January contains a paper on ' The Jelly Animals,' 

 by Evelyn Cheesman, and also one on ' Oxen Ploughing- Teams in the 

 Past and Present,' by Harwood Brierley. 



Wild Life for December has a paper on ' The Sheld-duck,' by C. R. 

 Brown, which is illustrated by a remarkable series of photographs, some, 

 which are tinted on coloured mounts, being perfect. Mr. O. J. Wilkinson 

 writes on ' At Home with the Reed Warbler,' which is also well illustrated, 

 and there are other items of particular interest to the naturalist. 



1917 Feb. 1. 



