928 Proceedings of Scientific Societies, [September, 
it is connected with the cesophagus by a duct points to the idea 
that it formerly performed, to some extent, the function of a lung. 
The speaker believed that in previous ages fishes visited the land 
in search of food much more frequently than now, and that an air- 
breathing apparatus was developed by a pouching of the cesopha- 
gus. When the increased number of predatory land animals 
compelled fishes to confine themselves to water, this structure 
degenerated. 
A paper by Mr. W. S. Blatchley “On the genus Aphredoderus” 
was presented for publication. 
r. T. Meehan, in the Botanical Section, remarked on the pecu- 
liarities of Mammillaria haydeni, and other allied species, the 
ovaria of which remain buried between the closely appressed 
walls of the mammz from April or May until just before the next 
flowering season, when they stretch out to their full length in a 
single night. As in this species the fruit is two inches long, and 
bright red, the effect of its sudden appearance, which is certainly 
due to elastic projection and not to growth, is very striking. 
May 5.—Mr. Willcox stated that Florida sea-urchins were cov- 
ered in March with shells, some of which contained living mol- 
lusks. In January they were free from this covering. /udgur 
perversus is embedded in the sand when spawning, and attaches 
the smaller end of the egg-string, first protruded, to a stone below 
her. When the entire string is liberated the portion last pro- 
truded floats out with the tide. As only four or five capsules are 
to be found in the mollusks at one time, the process of laying the 
string probably occupies weeks, The speaker stated that he had 
found specimens only three and a half inches long in the act of 
spawning. 
' Professor Heilprin exhibited a pebble from the yellow gravel 
near Glassboro’, containing Scolthus linearis, This, which he 
believed to be the first instance of the occurrence of the fossil in 
New Jersey, pointed, as did other Silurian and Devonian fossils 
collected in the same locality, to the origin of the deposits in the 
eastern continental border. ` 
Mr. A. F. Gentry presented “A Review of the genus Phry- 
nosoma.” 
May 12.—Mr. Meehan presented the manuscript diary of Wm. 
Bartram from 1802 to 1822. The migration of birds, dates of 
blooming of spring flowers, etc., are carefully noted. 
Professor Lewis exhibited specimens of fossil plants from the 
new tunnel at Phcenixville. Some minute phyllopods were also. 
_ described, The same beds were found in abundance in certain 
_ beds at Gwynedd. ; 
_ Professor Lewis also exhibited specimens of erythrite from - 
Pheenixville, and of cuprite from Frankfort. The former has 
never before been found in North America, and the latter is new 
