834 | Proceedings of Scientific Societies.  [Aug., 1885. 
indication of intention. He also referred to modifications in the 
tarsal joints of the Silphidz, described in a paper by a Belgian 
entomologist. The number of joints in tarsi and antennz under- 
went gradual reduction, but the speaker considered that in view 
of the intermediate conditions it was ill-advised to give impor- 
tance to the presence of the smaller number of segments. 
Professor Heilprin believed that in Paleozoic times no such 
zoological zones as now occur existed. For instance, no exist- 
ing Brachiopoda are cosmopolitan, while those of ancient times: 
were much more widely distributed. The presence of corals, 
graptolites, etc., in widely separated regions, indicated the former 
presence of a temperature much more uniform than the present. 
The speaker then drew attention to points which seemed to invali- 
date the opposite conclusions arrived at by Professors Neumeyer 
and Roemer. Though not a single New Jersey species of the 
present day is found in the Gulf of Mexico, fifty or sixty species 
of fossils out of 150 from the northern locality are found in Mis- 
sissippi and Alabama, while only ten out of 200 fossil Texan 
rms are found in Mississippi, showing conclusively that climate 
was not the former cause of distribution, These zones were 
gradually established during some period of the Tertiary. Refer- 
ring to the pebbles obtained by Mr. A. H. Smith from a boring 
of 170 feet on Black’s island, Professor Heilprin stated that they 
came from a glacial gravel, probably the Trenton. The boring 
had now, at a depth of 195 feet, reached a bed of plastic clay. 
A paper entitled, Remarks on Lanius robustus Baird, by Leon- 
hard Stejneger, was presented. 
April 7—Mr. Morris spoke upon the question, Why are there. 
no fossil forms in the strata preceding the Cambrian? - He called 
attention to the fact that the oldest animals known were aa 
cinders and charred bones, and above this were found 
of the teeth of a rhinoceros, probably R. protersu. 
on 
