136 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



session of some twelve others too imperfect for description. It is to 

 be regretted that Professor Spencer ceased to hold the Chair of 

 Geology in the Missouri University before the completion of the 

 second volume promised, for I believe we could have furnished him 

 with at least seventy additional species unknown on this continent, 

 from our Niagara and Clinton beds. That would represent about 

 twice the number discovered in the lower Silurians. Some natur- 

 alists, however, consider the graptolites to be more nearly related to 

 the bryozoons. This opinion I think untenable. Even while 

 admitting that it is a difficult matter indeed to classify the lower 

 forms of life, our local chert beds contain numerous bryozoons. 

 They are colorless in the matrix, with a solitary exception. Dr. Spen- 

 cer figured and described the vein-like marking o(Ji/itnoJ>ora Venosa, 

 (which undoubtedly presents a black impression in the chert), as a 

 doubtful graptolite. It was only after publication that we clearly as- 

 certained the rest of the bryozoon presented precisely a similar 

 appearance to the markings left in the chert by " retepora," " clath- 

 ropora," " fenestella," members of the same group. 



In all cases the true graptolites are stained and colored black 

 with us. In a few rare instances the bituminous matter scales off 

 when drying. It may not be out of place to remark that an erroneous 

 idea prevails among palaeontologists generally, viz : that these 

 hydrozoa are usually found in shales, seldom in limestones. The 

 very contrary seems nearer to the truth, I noticed both here and 

 at Anticosti. 



Tl\e Mediisce or jelly fishes of modern times are quite numer- 

 ous on the south-west coast of Ireland, In their natural element 

 they are very beautiful objects, although deficient in the rich color- 

 ing which a Tropical climate imparts to their more favoured family 

 elsewhere. When cast ashore they have been described as disgusting 

 slimy things which merely leave a thin coat on the strand when the 

 body inflated by water disappears like a soap-bubble. Boys when 

 swimming frequently find the contact with what we call sting-net- 

 tles very disagreeable. The famous swimmer, Capt. Webb, who 

 crossed the Channel to France, apparently cared less for the distance 

 than the acalephse he expected to meet on the passage over. 



The beautiful velellas (chiefly inhabitants of the Tropics), are 

 often conveyed by the Gulf Stream and cast on the Irish coast. 

 It presents an oblong, flattened, transparent body (rounded at the 



