542 Clironides of Science. [Oct., 



different orders, or remotely allied families, they are extremely 

 variable. 



The author proceeds to cite a number of instances in support of 

 his conclusions in which the mouth was altogether disconnected 

 from the radial system, and he figures Batocrinus icosidactylus, 

 Amphoracrinus, sp. Caryocrinus omatus, &c. 



Mr. Billings next discusses the functions of the pectinated 

 rhombs and calycine pores of the Cystidea. Upon this subject a 

 very able and exhaustive paper was written by Mr. J. Rofe,* to 

 which Mr. Billings refers, and accepts the decision of Dr. Dana, 

 Mr. Bofe, &c, and concludes them to be respiratory organs. The 

 author proceeds to describe these organs in Codaster, Pentremites, 

 &c, and then endeavours to show the homologies which exist 

 between the respiratory organs of these palaeozoic forms and recent 

 Echinoderms, and lastly, the nature of the " convoluted plate " of 

 the Crinoidea. This plate, like the pectinated rhombs, seems to 

 have been connected with the respiratory system. There can be 

 no doubt that the time explanation of why these respiratory organs 

 occupy so large a proportion of the body of the animal is to be 

 found in the fact that the food was obtained by the motion of the 

 vibratile cilia of the arms, which thus fulfilled, as in so many other 

 invertebrates, the double function of bringing .fresh streams of the 

 circumambient respiratory medium into intimate contact with the 

 fluid within the general cavity of the body of the animal ; and at 

 the same time of conveying minute animalculae and other organic 

 particles to the mouth in order to serve as food. 



Geological Society of London. 



The present number of the 'Proceedings of the Geological 

 Society ' contains a rich store of palaeontological information, both 

 British and foreign. We have illustrations of Mammalia, Beptilia, 

 Mollusca, Corals, and Plants ; and those who delight in long lists 

 of fossils can also fully satisfy their appetites. Nor need the field- 

 geologist grumble, for he also may regale himself on the Neocomian, 

 the Oolite, or the Lias to his heart's content. A valuable contribu- 

 tion to our knowledge of Fossil Corals is from Dr. P. Martin 

 Duncan, " On the Madreporaria of the Australian Tertiary Deposits." 

 The series described is from the province of Victoria, the Geolo- 

 gical Survey of which was (until lately abolished) so ably con- 

 ducted by Mr. Selwyn (now. Director of the Geological Survey of 

 Canada). The species described do not belong to the reef-building 

 forms, but to such as now occupy the sea-bottom from low spring- 

 tide mark to the depth where Polyzoa abound. It is interesting to 



* ' Geol. Mag.,' 1865, vol. ii., p. 245. 



