344 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XX. No. 506. 



normally goes into secretion, motion and 

 growth, into the disproportionate production 

 and waste of heat. The fact that while oxida- 

 tion is not increased in fever, urea, uric acid 

 and urinary nitrogen generally are markedly 

 increased would certainly appear to point in 

 this direction. 



I should be greatly obliged for any refer- 

 ences to recent work done upon any of these 

 problems, or for any criticisms of the possible 

 theory of fever or body heat here suggested. 

 Woods Hutchinson. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES. 



RECENT OBSERVATIONS UPON DjEMONELIX. 



While in charge of a field party sent by the 

 Carnegie Museum to northwestern Nebraska 

 and Wyoming this season, the writer left camp 

 early on the morning of July 4 to study and 

 ascertain the contact between two geological 

 horizons in the Loup Fork Miocene. On the 

 way a locality showing an extensive develop- 

 ment of Dmmonelix was found. These curi- 

 ous fossils were in great abundance in this 

 place and presented a most imposing appear- 

 ance. The first impression received was that 

 of a petrified forest emerging from the soft 

 sandstone and gradually disintegrating. For 

 the purpose, if possible, of gaining some addi- 

 tional knowledge with reference to the remains 

 of Dcemonelix, the origin and nature of which 

 have led to considerable discussion, the writer 

 stopped and began a systematic examination 

 of the locality. After considerable time had 

 been spent in . searching among the broken 

 specimens of Dcemonelix, some fragments of 

 the skeleton of a rodent were found below a 

 shelf of sandstone where a Dmmonelix par- 

 tially disintegrated was lying. Carefully 

 picking up the fragments and preserving 

 them, the writer recalled the statement of 

 Professor Barbour that he had found a skele- 

 ton of a rodent on the inside of one of these 

 'twisters ' in 1891, and the search was con- 

 tinued with vigor. 



It was not long until a nearly complete 

 skeleton was found in the interior of a par- 

 tially weathered ' rhizome,' which had the base 

 of the upright spiral still in position. Ap- 

 parently the animal had been in the act of 



going out — at all events the skeleton was lying 

 with the head to^yard the exit, or the spiral 

 portion of the Dcemonelix — when it was over- 

 taken by some accident and died. 



The work was now becoming interesting 

 and everything else was forgotten in the quest 

 for still further data to support what was 

 rapidly growing to be a settled conviction in 

 the mind of the writer as to the origin of 

 these ' Devil's Corkscrews.' The work was car- 

 ried on during the entire day in this locality 

 and no less than six specimens of the remains 

 of rodents were found, all of them on the in- 

 side of Dcemonelix. 



The work was not restricted to this locality^ 

 but other localities were subsequently sys- 

 tematically worked. Bones were not only 

 found in the transverse pieces or ' rhizomes ' 

 of the Dcemonelix, but they were also found 

 in the vertical spirals. There were found 

 skulls, jaws and portions of skeletons of what 

 appear to be one and the same animal (Steneo- 

 fiher ?). In all there are in the collection 

 made for the Carnegie Museum from twelve 

 to fourteen specimens of the remains of ro- 

 dents, which were found in as many Dcemone- 

 lices. A portion of the material was gathered 

 from the typical Nebraskan localities, where 

 Professor Barbour secured the material of 

 Dcemonelix, which he has so ably and ex- 

 haustively discussed in his papers, which have 

 from time to time appeared in various publi- 

 cations. 



It was a pleasure to meet Professor Barbour 

 at his home in Lincoln, Nebr., and to have a 

 discussion with him in regard to this question. 

 Free access was accorded to all of the type 

 specimens. That there are plant remains in 

 the Dcemonelices has been thoroughly estab- 

 lished. The relation of these rodents to Dce- 

 monelix and the probable habits of the ani- 

 mals, and other questions which arise in this 

 connection, may better be determined when 

 the material has been cleaned up and pre- 

 pared for thorough study. In the meanwhile 

 the writer is led to believe from the facts 

 above recited, that there is but little room to 

 doubt that Dcemonelix is the east of a burrow 

 of a rodent. 



When the material has been prepared for 



