July 16, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



93 



and figures of almost all (270) are given. It 

 is expected that the work will be completed 

 in three volumes. An extended notice may be 

 expected on the completion. 



Theo. Gill 



pacity for the absorption of nutriment even 

 to the detriment of the old body. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 

 The Journal of Experimental Zoology, 

 Vol. VI., No. 3 (June, 1909) contains the 

 following articles : " Studies on the Physiol- 

 ogy of Reproduction in the Domestic Fowl — 

 I., Regulation in the Morphogenetic Activity 

 of the Oviduct," by Raymond Pearl. This 

 paper describes a case in which a regulatory 

 change in the shape of eggs successively laid 

 by the same hen occurred, the change in shape 

 following a logarithmic law. " The Physiol- 

 ogy of Nematocysts," by 0. C. Glaser and 

 C. M. Sparrow. Experiments made on liv- 

 ing nematocyst-bearing tissues as well as on 

 artificially isolated nettling organs show that 

 a rise in internal pressure brings about the 

 discharge of the stinging thread; that os- 

 motic pressure is responsible for the explos- 

 ions of nematocysts in Eolids; that this may 

 explain the similar processes among Coelen- 

 terates; and finally that the nettling threads, 

 contrary opinions notwithstanding, are ca- 

 pable of penetrating the tissues of other 

 animals. " Observations on the Life History 

 of Tillina magna," by L. H. Gregory. A 

 study of the morphology, physiology and 

 methods of reproduction of the organisms, 

 and its reactions to stimulations during dif- 

 ferent periods in the life history, with espe- 

 cial reference to the questions of artificial 

 rejuvenescence and the inter-relations of 

 nucleus and cytoplasm. " Studies of Tissue 

 Growth — II., Functional Activity, Form 

 Regulation, Level of the Cut and Degree of 

 Injury as Factors in Determining the Rate 

 of Regeneration — The Reaction of Regene- 

 rating Tissue on the Old Body," by Charles 

 R. Stockard. The rate of regeneration in 

 the medusa, Cassiopea, is independent of 

 functional activity; form regulation inhibits 

 growth; and the level of the cut determines 

 the rate of regeneration in many species. 

 The degree of injury does not exert the same 

 influence over the rate of regeneration in all 

 species; the new tissue has an excessive ca- 



SPEClAh ARTICLES 



ox THE RESTORATION OF SKELETONS OF FOSSIL 



VERTEBRATES 



In a paper published last October' the 

 writer, in referring to the mounted carnivo- 

 rous dinosaur in the American Museum of 

 Natural History supposed to be Allosaurus or 

 Creosaurus, compared its hands with those of 

 -Marsh's restoration of Allosaurus. Inasmuch 

 as the hands of the New York specimen are 

 wholly artificial and those of Marsh's figure 

 mostly or wholly so, it will be seen that the 

 comparison was of something less than no 

 value at all. A serious error on the part of 

 the writer must therefore be confessed. How 

 it came to be committed will probably be of 

 interest to nobody. 



Although the quite complete hind leg of 

 Allosaurus on which Marsh based his restora- 

 tion" is in the U. S. National Museum, the 

 materials belonging to the fore leg, restored 

 by Marsh on the plate cited, are not in that 

 museum and I therefore do not know just 

 what parts were in Marsh's possession. From 

 his language we have the right to suppose that 

 he had at least the scapula, the coracoid, the 

 humerus and some claws.' These parts, then, 

 ought to be available in making comparisons 

 with corresponding parts of related dinosaurs. 

 Further differences between Allosaurus and 

 Creosaurus are said by Marsh* to be found in 

 the elongated sacral vertebrae of the latter 

 genus and the transverse processes, which are 

 placed higher up on the centra than in Allo- 

 saurus. 



It appears to the writer that some animad- 

 versions may justly be made on the methods 

 of preparing restorations of fossil animals, 

 both as shown in the scientific journals and as 

 displayed in our museums. It seems incon- 

 testable that the public has a right to know on 

 what materials all reconstructions, as well as 



^ Proc. V. S. Nat. Museum. XXXV., pp. 351-66. 



' " Dinosaurs of North America," PI. XII., fig. 2. 



'Amer. Jour. Soi., XXVII., 1884, p. 334, PI. 

 XII., fig. 1. 



*Amer. Jour. 8ci., XVII., 1879, p. 91. 



