252 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 424. 



tion and function as experimentally de- 

 termined, we may classify as follows: 



I. Organs of the general cutaneous sys- 

 tem. Free nerve endings of tactile nerves. 



II. Organs of the acustico-lateral sys- 

 tem. Peripheral organs neur.omasts, with 

 hair cells among indifferent cells, the 

 former extending only part way through 

 the sensory epithelium. Innervation by 

 nerves centering in the tuberculum acus- 

 ticum and cerebellum. They present the 

 following varieties: 



1. Canal organs, regularly arranged in 

 canals in the dermis or dermal bones, which 

 communicate by means of pores with the 

 outside. Function, perception of mechan- 

 ical jars and maintenance of equilibrium. 



2. Pit organs, similar to the last, but 

 each in a separate pit. In lines. 



3. Small pit organs, smaller than the 

 last and irregularly distributed. 



4. Ampullse. Organs at the bottom of 

 long slender tubes. Only in Selachii. 



5. Vesicles of Savi. Closed vesicles, 

 only in the torpedoes. 



6. Cristffi acusticse. In semicircular 

 canals of all vertebrates. Function, equili- 

 bration (reaction to rotary movements). 



7. Maculae acusticse. In sacculus and 

 utriculus. Function, equilibration (reac- 

 tion to translatory and static stimuli ? ) and 

 hearing ( ?). 



8. Papilla acustica basilaris. In organ 

 of Corti. Function, hearing (does not 

 occur in fishes). 



III. Organs of the communis system. 

 Special organs with the specific sensory 

 cells extending through the whole thick- 

 ness of the sensory epithelium. Present 

 in the mouth of most vertebrates and in 

 the outer skin of some ganoid and teleos- 

 tean fishes. Innervation by communis 

 nerves; primary cerebral centers gray 

 matter associated with the fasciculus com- 

 munis (=f. solitarius), represented by 



the vagal and facial lobes of fishes. Func- 

 tion, taste. Two forms, differing only in 

 position. 



1. Taste buds, within the mouth. 



2. Terminal buds, in the outer skin, 

 often on barblets or other specialized or- 

 gans for their reception. 



Observations on Footprints in Beach Sand: 



Herbert Osborn, Ohio State University, 



Columbus, Ohio. 



The observations recorded represent oc- 

 casional studies during three summers on 

 sand of Cedar Point Beach and adjacent 

 dunes. Photographic records have been 

 secured of as many of these as it has been 

 possible to identify with certainty, and a 

 few others of particular interest or rarity. 

 The camera was adjusted to a vertical 

 position by the use of a brass plate bent 

 at right angles, and the best results were 

 secured in the latter part of the afternoon, 

 when oblique rays of the sun cast strong 

 shadows in the tracks. Lantern slides 

 from the photographic records, including 

 Hesperomys leucopus, Ardea herodias, 

 Eurenetes pusillus, Emys meleagris, Col- 

 uber vulpinus, Heterodon platyrhinus, 

 Bufo lentiginosus var., Microbembex mon- 

 odonta, T rimer otropis maritima, Fontaria 

 indiance and Myrmeleon sp. were shown 

 and their characters described. 



Such records are serviceable in deter- 

 mining the presence of particular animals 

 in a given region, as presenting an inter- 

 esting feature in the biology of the animal, 

 and as a basis for comparison in studies 

 of the imprints left by extinct animals. 



An Exhibit of Lantern Slides Illustrating 

 the U. S. S. 'Albatross' and her Work: 

 C. C. Nutting, University of Iowa. 

 Lantern slides taken by the author dur- 

 ing the recent Hawaiian cruise, accom- 

 panied by an informal account. 



