150 Scientific News. [ February, 
— Prof. K. Ellsworth Call and Mr. Arthur F. Gray are now 
engaged upon a Monograph of North American Unzontde, and 
desire to make their work compiete as regards synonomy. For 
this purpose they desire shells from all parts of the United States, 
Mexico and Canada, for purposes of comparison. The shells of 
the Complanatus group are now desired. Liberal exchanges will 
be given, or shells (typical) purchased. Parties collecting speci- 
mens with soft parts, please address Prof. K. Ellsworth Call, 
Normal and Scientific School, Dexter, Iowa, or Arthur F. Gray, 
Danversport, Mass. Information with regard to peculiar forms 
and interesting localities will be duly acknowledged. Where 
possible, preserve the animal. 
— The Scientific American for Dec. 27th, contains an article by 
D. C. Beard, who accounts for the sea-serpent by supposing it to 
be the gigantic squid which are known to inhabit the coasts of New 
Foundland and the high seas. We are not sure but that this is a 
plausible explanation, and expressed seven or eight years ago, in 
a communication to the Essex Institute of Salem, that the appear- 
ances referred to the “sea serpent” were, perhaps, occasioned by 
wounded or tired squid of colossal size, such as are known to exist 
in the oceans in both hemispheres. The barrel-shaped head, 
large eyes and trailing, undulating body, attributed to the “ sea- 
serpent” can be explained as depicted in the Scientific American. — 
ALS. Packard, I. ~ 
— Second Session of the Chesapeake Zodlogical Laboratory — 
A brief report of the work done in this Laboratory has appeared, 
from which we learn that twelve were present. Dr. Clarke investi- 
gated the Hydroids, Prof. Brige the development of two species of 
crabs, Miss Munn the development of the Ctenophore, Mr. Wilson 
verified the observations of previous writers in regard to the change 
of Actinotrocha into Phoronis, while Dr. Brooks studied the devel- 
opment of the squid and oyster and ascertained the existence of — 
a rudimentary velum in the Cephalopoda. A brief abstract of his 
studies on the oyster has already appeared in the columns of the 
American Journal of Science and arts —¥. S. K. 
— The report of the curator of the Harvard University Mu- 
seum of Zodlogy, where geology is also taught, shows that facili- 
ties are extended to those desirous of studying lithology. The 
instruction given by Mr. M. E. Wadsworth during the past year, 
consisted of lectures upon the macroscopic and microscopic char- _ 
acters of the rocks and their constituent minerals, and also of 
field and laboratory work. Besides the study of the laboratory _ 
collections, each student had assigned to him a separate district, 
which he was to map, studying the characters and relations of the 
rocks, and collecting the necessary specimens. Of the rocks thus 
collected, the student was required to make thin sections and to 
examine them microscopically, writing a thesis upon the whole a 
© work. It was intended that the course should be sufficiently thor- _ 
a ough to fit the student for practical field and laboratory research. 
