126 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



late Mr. Billings described only huo species from Anticosti, whereas 

 I noticed four there. One, however, by some Palaeontologists, may 

 be considered a variety only. The other is undescribed as yet. 

 The external surface is covered by what at first seems a "^ Bryozoon." 

 Possibly this may be only ^ deceptive appearance, and it may 

 prove to be an outer portion. An epitheca, as it were, of the fossil. 

 March 28th, 1890, Col. C. C. Grant read a paper on the color 

 of Shells, stating that a short time ago, in a paper on " Silurian 

 Colored Lingula of Hamilton " he had ventured to express a doubt 

 as to the usually accepted belief that the color of shells was solely 

 owing to the action of light, but may possibly be partly due to other 

 causes as well. His views were endorsed by Prof. Agassiz, who ac- 

 companied the little band of scientists in a recent American scienti- 

 fic expedition on board the steamer Blake, who observed that the 

 Abyssal Shells possessed the predominant tints, viz : White, Pink, 

 Red, Scarlet, Orange, Yellow, Violet, Purple, Green and allied 

 colors. In deep water types the variety among them of coloring is 

 quite as striking as that of better known marine animals. There is 

 as great diversity of color in the deep water Star fishes as there is 

 in those of our rocky or sandy shores. The Actinae (Sea Ane- 

 mone) of deep water possesses stripes and tints as abundantly as 

 the more common ones in shallow water. The Genus Trochidae 

 are largely represented in Abyssal regions, brilliantly colored and 

 pearly spiral shells. Marginella, Mitra, Typhis, Cancellaria, etc, 

 have also been found at considerable depths. 



On the same evening the secretary read a paper from Prof. D. F. 

 H. Wilkins, B. A , of Beamsville, entitled, "Borings for Gas," and 

 the occurrence of impure salt in the Medina group. The first part 

 of the paper dealt with the various rock strata passed through in 

 sinking two wells in the neighborhood of St. Catharines, one to a 

 depth of 1,582 feet, the second to 2,450 feet; both wells were 

 abandoned. The second part of the paper treats upon the saline 

 nature of the Medina rocks. The presence of these calcium and 

 magnesium chlorides, which are so frequently met with in the 

 boring of wells for water in the Medina clays, suggests that their 

 presence is due to the sudden precipitation of rock matter in the 

 turbid ocean. We shall not fail to see that it is altogether likely 

 that some of the waters of the ancient sea would impregnate at least 

 some of the strata. May not this withdrawal have been much 



