468 ScientijiG Intelligence. 



10. Zoological Results based on material from New Britain, 

 New Guinea^ Loyalty Islands and elsewhere, collected during 

 the years 1895, 1896, 1897 ; by Arthuk Willey. Part VI 

 (August, 1902), pp. 691-826, 8 pis., 33 figs.— Dr. Willey is to be 

 congratulated upon the completion* of a valuable series of zoolog- 

 ical papers. The present volume contains the results of a study 

 of the development of the Pearly Nautilus. The interesting "per- 

 sonal narrative" (pp. 691-734) is illustrated by photographs of 

 the natives who carry on the Nautilus-fisheries on the different 

 islands, and who came in contact with Mr. Willey during his 

 visits to the archipelago (1894 and 1897) in search for the eggs of 

 species of Nautilus. The *' special contribution" (pp. 736-826) 

 is prefaced by a complete review of the bibliography of nautilus 

 since the first description with figures of the external characters 

 by Rumphius, 1705, and of the animal by Bennett, 1831. Many 

 new and interesting facts are mentioned. It was found by obser- 

 vation that the color markings on both the shell and animal 

 "exerted a protective influence"; that the " wart-like gibbos- 

 ities" on the upper surface of the hood form a shield for pro- 

 tecting the aperture of the shell when the animal is in retraction, 

 and not a foot for locomotion. The studies of the anatomical 

 characters show the relation of the Nautilus to the dibranchs, but 

 with reference to the other cephalopods opinions will differ. It 

 is, however, one whose external shell is probably primitive as 

 compared with the internal shell of Spirula. No definite opinion 

 is given as to whether the many similarities in anatomy between 

 the Nautilus and diotocard prosobranchs [HaUotis, Fissurella 

 and Pleurotomaria) are of the nature of affinity or convergence, 

 but an interesting figure (15) is given showing a shell with a 

 median groove and shell-slit similar to Pleurotomaria. k. j. b, 



III. Miscellaneous Scientipic Intelligence. 



1. National Academy of Sciences. — The following is a list of 

 papers read before the National Academy at the meeting in 

 Baltimore, Nov. 11-12. 



S. L. Penfield : A possible explanation of the difficult solubility of cer- 

 tain compounds containing fliiorine and hydroxy!. 



George E. Hale : The spectra of stars of Secchi's fourth type. 



T. C. Mendenhall, : Biographical memoir of Henry A. Eowland, 



W. K. Brooks : The embryology of Salpa cordiformis. 



Caswell Grave : The occurrence of reef corals near Beaufort, N. C. 



D. H. Tennent : The Trematode parasites of the oyster. 



H. N. Morse : The preparation of cells for the measurement of osmotic 

 pressure. 



E. W. Wood : A substance with remarkable optical properties, and screens 

 transparent only to ultra-violet light. 



J. B. Whitehead : On displacement currents. 



L. A, Parsons : On the spectrum of hydrogen. 



Lewis Boss : A new system of positions for standard stars, with notes 

 relative to its bearing upon sidereal astronomy. 



H. F. OsBORN : Complete skeleton and restoration of the Cretaceous fish 

 Portheus molossus Cope. A new small dinosaur from the Jurassic or Como 



*See this Journal, vii, 79, 332 : viii, 398 ; x, 89 ; xi, 330. 



