March 10, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



371 



6.0 ; by halves of six-tentacled Hydras, 

 4.6 ; by quarters of six-tentacled Hydras, 

 3.8. Of Hydras having the same number 

 of tentacles the larger Hydras, or parts of 

 them, regenerate more tentacles than the 

 smaller ones or corresponding parts of 

 them. Hydras cut longitudinally into pieces 

 of equal volume, but bearing different num- 

 bers of tentacles, regenerate as many tenta- 

 cles as are required to complete a normal 

 number. 



In the regeneration of a small fragment 

 of hypostome with tentacles attached, one 

 tentacle became thickened to form the 

 body. Often in the regeneration of whole 

 ' heads ' a tentacle whose axis came to lie 

 approximately in the axis of the body ap- 

 parently became thickened to assist in the 

 downward extension of the body. 



In ' heads ' severed immediately below 

 the tentacles forms of very abnormal ap- 

 pearance resulted in the process of closing 

 the wound. Abnormalities, consisting in 

 tentacles abnormally placed and in unusual 

 numbers of oral tentacles, persisted for a 

 considerable period. Regulative processes 

 resulted in the degeneration of abnormally 

 placed tentacles and in the establishment of 

 a normal number of oval tentacles. Tenta- 

 cles but slightly displaced from the circum- 

 oval ring were shifted back into it. 



The regenerative and regulative processes 

 are directed toward the regaining of a per- 

 fectly normal form. 



Notes on the Actinians of Bermuda. A. E. 

 Vereill. 



On the Atlantic Palolo Worm. A. G. Mayee. 



The Origin of Blood Vessels in the Chick. L. 

 H. Snowden. 



The Evolution of the Color Pattern of Columba 

 livia from that Preserved in C. affinis Blyth. 

 C. O. Whitman. 



Bashfoed Dean, 



Secretary. 



STALACTITES OF SAND. 



In Mr. Rose's black-sand gold mine, on 

 the Oregon coast, about fifteen miles south 

 of Coos Bay, are some curious stalactites of 

 sand which deserve attention on account of 

 their exceptional character. 



The mine is along an aucient beach about 

 160 feet above the sea level and nearly two 

 miles distant from the present shore. The 

 black sand in which the gold occurs rests 

 directly upon the upturned and eroded 

 edges of Tertiary shales. It is about 100 

 feet in width and four feet in thickness, 

 and is overlain by about thirty feet of hor- 

 izontal Pleistocene sand beds with some 

 gravel. These have to be removed before 

 the black sand can be reached. The black 

 sand at this point is composed chiefly of 

 garnet, with a number of other heavy ferro- 

 magnesian minerals. It is partially ce 

 mented by oxide of iron, but may be readily 

 crumbled in the hand. 



The gray sand by which the black sand 

 is immediately overlain is composed chiefly 

 of quartz, but contains also many grains of 

 feldspar besides those of other minerals and 

 rocks. In some places this gray sand is 

 cemented so firmly as to form a friable 

 sandstone, and when the black sand is re- 

 moved from beneath the exposed under sur- 

 face of the sandstones is found to be covered 

 with stalactites of sand. The cross bedding 

 in the sand dips gently to the west. The 

 stalactites incline westward at the same 

 angle, forming only a small angle with the 

 surface to which they are attached. The 

 forms of the stalactites are well developed ; 

 some are small, others nearly a foot in 

 length. Most of them are single, but a few 

 are double, as if two were united in their 

 development. There is no sign of a tube 

 down in the center, as in the case of many 

 stalactites of carbonate of lime. 



The cementing material by means of 

 which the sand is held together, making 

 these curious forms, is not soluble in acid. 



