334 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VOL XXXIII 
gives “a description of certain objects of unknown significance, 
formerly used by some New South Wales tribes.” ‘These objects 
are cigar-shaped, of stone or clay, attaining a maximum length of 
fifty-five ‘centimeters. A number of theories have been advanced 
to account for their use, but they have not yet been satisfactorily 
identified. They are decorated with a number of ‘broad-arrows ” 
and parallel gashes. The seven plates which accompany the article 
show that these markings are of a rude character, and that consider- 
able variation exists in form and decoration. Mr. Harper brings 
forward no decisive evidence to account for their use, but concludes 
with the statement that they are either “ pounders”’ or ‘‘ ceremonial 
stones.” The latter is a convenient scrap-basket in archeology, and 
as Mr. Harper does not prove them to be pounders, it might be well 
to classify them as ceremonial stones; at all events, they are well 
described and figured in this paper, and others may be able to answer 
the question raised. FR: 
ZOOLOGY. 
Adriatic Sponges.! — Dr. von Lendenfeld continues in this mono- 
graph his exhaustive description of the Adriatic sponges begun in 
1891.” Like the earlier works of the series, this is divided into three 
parts. The first part contains a complete list of the literature on the 
group; the second, a description of the Adriatic species; the third, 
a comprehensive review of the structure and classification of the 
Clavulina in general. 
The classification adopted by von Lendenfeld in this series of 
memoirs is as follows: 
Porifera 
Class Calcarea 
Class Silicea 
Subclass Triaxonia 
Order Hexactinellida 
Order Hexaceratina 
1 Von Lendenfeld, R. Die Clavulina der Adria, Abhandl. Kais. Leopold. Carol. 
Deut. Akad. Naturf., Bd. Ixix (1898), 12 Taf., p. 251, Halle. 
2 Die Spongien der Adria, Die Kalkschwamme, Zeit. f. wiss. Zool., Bd. liii 
(1891); Die Hexaceratina, /éid., Bd. liv (1894); Die Tetractinelliden der Adria, 
Denkschr. Kats. Akad. Wiss. Wien (math.-naturw. Classe), Bd. lxi (1894). 
