I 



ON OLD RED SANDSTONE— NAPLES TABLE. 315 



absorption spectrum. The ubcmical arguments cannot as yet, therefore, be 

 entirely completed by absorption measurements, but it is only the identification 

 of the reactive phase which is now lacking, and that by no means in all cases. 

 The initial pha.se of the reactant molecules, the final phase of the resultant 

 molecules, and the molecular quanta of both can readily be measured by absorp- 

 tion spectra methods. 



This lacuna, however, only concerns one argument, and is one of secondary 

 importance. The evidence now at hand in favour of the phase theory would 

 seem to be strikingly convincing. Let it always be remembered that this theory 

 is but an extension of Planck's great theory, the enunciation of which marked 

 the beginning of a new epoch in chemistry. 



Stratigraphical Sequence and Palaeontology of the Old Red 

 Sandstone of the Bristol District. — Report of Committee 

 (Dr. H. Bolton, Chairman; Mr. F. S. Wallis, Secretary; Miss 

 Edith Bolton, Mr. D. E. I. Innes, Professor C. Lloyd Morgan, 

 Professor S. H. Reynolds). 



A PRELIMINARY examination of the chief ex^wsures of the Old Red Sandstone 

 in the Bristol District has been made, and particular attention paid to the 

 shore exposures at Portishead, where Professor S. H. Reynolds has identified the 

 locality from whence Dr. Martyn obtained fossil fish remains. 



The fish remains of the Old Red Sandstone in the Bristol ^Museum have been 

 examined and, from the character of the matrix, it is evident that these fossils 

 occur on at least three horizons. An investigation of the mineral constituents 

 of the Old Red Sandstone is now in hand, and a brge number of rock specimens 

 have been collected for this purpose. 



Owing to the scarcity of the fish remains in the Portishead deposits it is 

 proposed to obtain permission to quarry, and thus open up new exposures of the 

 zone. For this purpose, and also for the preparation of specimens for further 

 mineralogical examination, a grant of 15/. is hereby applied for. 



Naples Table. — Report of Committee (Professor E. S. Goodrich, 

 Chairman; Professor J. H. Ashworth, Secretary; Dr. G. P. 

 Bidder, Professor F. 0. Bower, Dr. W. B. Hardy, Sir F. S. 

 Harmer, Professor S. J. Hickson, Sir E. Pay Lankester, 

 P)'ofessor W. C. McIntosh, the hite Dr. A. D. Waller) appointed 

 10 aid competent investigators selected by the Commit lee to carnj 

 (in di'fini!,' pieces nf work at the Zoological Station at Naples. 

 Drawn up by the Chairman ami Secretary. 



Thk recent meetings of this Committee indicated that the continuance of the 

 Table was considered to be desirable, and on behalf of the Committee we 

 apply that the Committee should be reappointed with a grant of £100. 



The grant of £100 made for 1922 has been paid to the Director of the 

 Stazione Zoologica, and nothing remains in hand. 



From ]\rarch 27 to April 22 Mr. G. R. de Beer occupied the British Asso- 

 ciation Table, and submits the following report of his work : — Examined 

 Cephalopods for the earliest stages of Dicyemids; obtained stages of a Sporozoan 

 parasite of Sipunculus ; experimented with poisons on larvae of Strongylocentrotus 

 and Astropecten ; regeneration experiments on Sponges; studied the formation 

 of a semi-permeable membrane in collar cells ; made preparations for the study 

 of the gametogenesis of Phyllirhoe ; f.nd obtained material for the studv of some 

 points in the development of Petromyzon. 



Tiie Table was occupied during part of June and July by Professor E. S. 

 Goodrich and Dr. Helen Goodrich, who respectively report as follows : — 



Professor E. 'S. Goodrich : I occupied the British Association Table at the 

 Stazione Zoologica in Naples during part of June and July 1922. The staff 



