1889.] Physiology. 933 
oviducal membranes of still lower forms, ^ and that it would tend to 
take up calcareous matters in the same way as similar membftnes in 
other parts of the body of a vertebrate. (See my paper " A Physiolo- 
gical Theory of the Calcification of the Skeleton," Proc. Am. Philo. 
Soc, Vol. XXVI., 1889.)— John A. Ryder. 
PHYSIOLOGY. 
The American Physiological Society held its annual meeting for 
1889 on December 27th and 28th at the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons in New York. H. P. Bowditch, J. G. Curtis, H. H. Don- 
aldson, H. N. Martin, and S. W. Mitchell were elected as the Council 
for 1 889-1 890. The following communications were presented : 
1. J. G. Curtis, Methods of demonstrating to a large class : a. The 
automatism of the heart of the turtle ; b. The contraction of the dia- 
phragm of the dog ; c. The beating of the heart of the calf in opened 
thorax. 
2. W. P. Lombard, The effect of fatigue on voluntary muscle con- 
3. R. H. Chittenden, a. The influence of alcohol on proteid meta- 
bolism ; d. Some observations on the relative formation of albumose 
and peptone in gastric digestion. 
4- S. J. Meltzer, On the self-regulation of respiration. 
5. H. N. Martin, The normal respiratory movements of the frog. 
6. G. T. Kemp, a. Exhibition of a new chronograph clock ; b. 
Exhibition of photographs illustrating the coagulation of blood. 
On the Origin of the Central Nervous Sy t _^i . ; Virte- 
brates.'— Gaskell reviews the work of ]-eydig . n 
the homologies between the arthropod and vertt 
and considers the resemblances between the-M .1 
anatomical and a physiological point of view . 
regarded. As to the brain, all researches \\\- .! 
separation of the brain of the crustacean into tin 
pond in relative position to the fore-brain, t!v le 
