310 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVI. No. 662 



The following papers were presented: 

 The Sparsity of the Stars, the Measureless 

 Remoteness of each Star from All Others: 

 John F. Lanneau, Wake Forest Collego. 

 The paper will appear in full in Popular 

 Astronomy. 



The Foundations of Geometry: Archibald 

 Henderson, of the University of North 

 Carolina, published in the Journal of the 

 EUsha Mitchel Society, 1907. 



Some New Sources of Light : C. W. Edwards, 

 Trinity College. Eead by title. 



Some Interesting Grasshoppers (and their 

 Relatives) of North Carolina: Franklin 

 Sherman, Jr., state entomologist. 

 He mentions the following species : Lahidura 

 Riparia, Cryptocercus punctulatus, Stago- 

 mantis Carolina, Diapheromera femorata, 

 Eritettix navicula, Trimerotropis saxitalis, 

 Leptysma margiwicollis, Melanoplus punctu- 

 latus, Dissoteiria Carolina, Gryllotalpa io- 

 realis, Myrmecophila pergandei, Tridactylus 



Bp. 



Osteogenesis Imperfecta (with a report of a 

 case) : Lewis M. Gaines, of Wake Forest 

 College. Eead by title. 

 Notes on the Cultivation of Algce for Clasfi 

 Use : F. L. Stevens, of the N. C. College of 

 Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 

 Suggestions were given for the isolation and 

 cultivation of algse upon solid medium, con- 

 sisting of .75 per cent, agar made up with 

 Knopf's solution. This medium solidifying 

 at lower than 34° can be safely used in plat- 

 ing out algag. Cultures of several forms were 

 exhibited. 



Fusio'u of Sponge Larvw ivith Formation of 

 Composite Sponges: H. V. Wilson, of the 

 University of North Carolina. 

 The ciliated larva of silicious sponges 

 {Stylotella) may be made to fuse, thus giv- 

 ing rise to composite sponges. To accom- 

 plish this result it is only necessary to bring 

 the larvag in close contact at the time when 

 the ciliary action is no longer locomotory and 

 fixation is about to occur. The composite 

 masses representing (in the actual experi- 



ments) from two to six larvae complete the 

 'metamorphosis. 



Wind-polished pehhles, and Palwolithic Man: 

 Collier Cobb, of the University of North 

 Carolina. 

 The close similarity between wind polished 



pebbles and work of man was indicated, and 



the errors which might result were pointed 



out. 



Notes on Zoology of Lal-e Ellis: C. S. Brim- 

 ley, Ealeigh, N. C. 



The paper discusses the occurrence of vari- 

 ous insects and reptiles taken, by the writer 

 and others in the vicinity of Lake Ellis, 

 Craven County, N. C, during June, 1905, and 

 May, 1906. The rare salamander, Stereo- 

 chilus marginatus, which had not been taken 

 for many years was found to be common, and 

 several specimens of the frog, Rana virgatipes, 

 were taken. Nine alligators were secured on 

 the two trips by the author's companion, and 

 several rare snakes. Five species of dragonfly 

 new to North Carolina were secured, and 

 (in June, 1905) numerous specimens of the 

 yellow fly (Diachlorus ferrugatus). Notes on 

 other members of the Tabanidse are also given. 



Single Phase Railway Worlc: F. E. Latta, of 

 the University of North Carolina. 



The Relation of the Cattle-tick to Southern 

 Agriculture: Dr. Tait Butler, State Veteri- 

 narian, Ealeigh, N. C. 



The Design of High Masonry Dams: William 

 Cain, of the University of North Carolina. 



Three Little-lcnown Species of North Caro- 

 lina Fungi: J. G. Hall, of the N. C. Ex- 

 periment Station. 



These are of some interest because one is 

 a new si>ecies and another has not been re- 

 ported in print in the United States. 



The first is Martensella, pectinata, Coem, a 

 hyphomycete described in 1863 and is char- 

 acterized by procumbent sterile hs^phse and 

 erect fertile hyphse. The fertile hyphae bear 

 short, lateral branches which become the 

 sporophores. 



The sporophores are naviculate and bear 

 the fusiform-cylindrie hyaline spores upon 



