PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



Nova Scotian Institute of Science..— March 9th.— The follow- 

 ing paper was read: "Some Illustrations of Dynamical Geology in. 

 Southwestern Nova Scotia," by L. W. Bailey, Esq., M. A., Ph. D. 



Harry Piers, Secretary. 



Boston Society of Natural History.— February 19th— The 

 f illowitig [tapers were read: Mr. Outram Bangs :" The Terrapin an 

 Inhabitant of Massachusetts." Dr. Joseph Lincoln Goodale: "The 

 Vocal Sounds of Animals and the Mechanism of their Production." 



March 4th.— The following paper was read : Prof. F. W. Putnam : 

 " Symbolism in Ancient America.". — Samuel Henshaw, Secretary. 



New York Academy of Sciences — Biological Section. — 

 February 7th, 1896.— Dr. J. G. Curtis in the Chair. 



A communication from the Council was received asking that the 

 Section take action on Rep. Hurley's bill " To fix the standard of 

 Weights and Measures by the adoption of the metric system of weights 



On motion of Dr. Dean, the Section approved the bill and the Sec- 

 retary was directed to express the entire commendation of it to the 

 Council. 



Dr. Arnold Graf read a paper on " The Structure of the Nephridia 

 in Clepsine." He finds, in the cells of the intra cellular duct, fine 

 cytoplasmic anastamosing threads which form a contractile mechan- 

 ism. These are stimulated by granules which are most numerous near 

 the lumen of the cell, and thus a peristalsis is set up which moves the 

 urine out of the duct. In the upper part of the intra-cellular duct, the 

 two or three cells next to the vesicle or funnel have no distinct lumen, 

 but are vacuolated ; the vacuoles of the first cell being small, those of 

 the second larger, and so on, till the vacuoles become permanent as a 

 lumen. He explains the action of the first cell as being similar to the 

 ingestion of particles by the infusorians. The matter taken up thus 

 from the funnel by the first cell is carried by the rest, and so on till the 

 cells having a lumen are reached. The presence of the excretum 

 causes the granules to stimulate the muscular fibres of the cells; pen- 

 stalis results and the substance is carried outwards. The character of 

 this contractile reticulum offers an explanation of the structure of a 

 l of a contractile reticular thread. 



