ZOOLOGY. 429 
TORNARIA NOT A LARVAL STARFISH, BUT THE YOUNG OF A 
Worm.— Mr. Alexander Agassiz has discovered that the Tornaria, 
an immature microscopic floating animal, which he in common with 
_ other naturalists had thought to be a young starfish, is really a 
young worm. The parent is a remarkable worm, found at different 
points on our coast and that of Europe, burrowing in sand, and 
described by the celebrated Italian zoologist Delle Chiaje. The 
history of Balanoglossus as given by Agassiz “ while showing 
great analogy between the development of Echinoderms and the 
Nemertian worms, by no means proves the identity of type of the 
Echinoderms and Annuloids. It is undoubtedly the strongest case 
known which could be taken to prove their identity. But when we 
come carefully to analyze the anatomy of true Echinoderm larve, 
and compare it with that of Tornaria, we find that we leave as 
wide a gulf as ever between the structure of the Echinoderms and 
that of the Annuloids.” Now the young of certain Echinoderms 
have a form very similar to larval worms. On this chiefly Prof. 
Huxley, misled by the names given by J. Miller to some of these 
larvee has revived the old opinion of Oken, and associated the 
Echinoderms with the Articulates; but as he based his opinion 
entirely upon the figures of Miller, and not upon original inves- 
tigations, his conclusions, which have been adopted by the ma- 
jority of English naturalists, do not appear to Mr. Agassiz as 
tenable. ‘The hypothetical form to which Huxley reduces these 
larvæ, to make his comparisons and to draw his inferences, is one 
which has never been observed, and as far as we now know does 
not exist.” His paper, with many beautiful figures, appears in the 
“Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.” 
Tue Wuire-neckep Raven. — This bird is seldom seen in the 
Mountains at any period of the year, but during winter it is very 
Common in the vicinity of Denver. As it is rarely molested, it 
s become so tame that it enters the gardens and streets in the 
quieter portions of the city and perches on the trees and fences, 
regarding the passers-by with more curiosity than fear. Like the 
eastern crow it is social in its habits, going in small parties of 
two or three up to ten or twenty ; and in its general actions and 
appearance it closely resembles that bird. Its croak is thinner 
and shriller than that of C. corax, which is here seldom, if ever, 
und. On clear, warm afternoons during winter and early spring, 
