1883. | .  Zoölogy. , gl 
earliest traces of this film when treated with coloring reageants, 
stain, but, when treated with acids, show no traces of lime, nor 
any evidences of structure; it is simply a structureless membrane. 
Later films, when treated with acetic acid, present the appearance 
of a tesselated pavement, and when examined with the polariscope 
and not treated with acetic acid show beautifully the presence of 
lime. 
It would thus appear that the epithelium ofthe mantle pours out 
a secretion of horny matter which forms the epidermis; that this 
secretion holds lime in solution ; and that from this the stony inter- 
nal portion of the shell is formed. Experiments were successfully 
made upon the shells of the oyster and pinna and several other 
lamellibranchs, and some gasteropods were tried, but thus far in 
vain.—H. L. Osborne in Johns Hopkins University Circular, No. 
19, Nov., 1882. 
Tue FRESHLY HATCHED YOUNG OF THE HORSE-SHOE CraB— 
On the second of last August, while Professor Dwight, of Vassar 
College, and myself, were collecting shells at Martha’s Vineyard, 
he had the good fortune to discover a newly-hatched colony of 
Limuli. They were under the mat of seaweed lining the shore of 
one of the inlets. There must have been nearly a pint of them, 
and although out of water at the time were moving in a lively 
manner. The individuals were about four millimetres in length. 
—T. T. Battey. 
SCOLOPENDRELLA IN ILLINoIs.—While searching the earth about 
the roots of corn to-day, for eggs of Diabrotica longicornis, I foun 
a single Scolopendrella, which, on examination, proved to be so 
closely like the figures of S. immaculata, published in the 
Nartura.ist for September, 1881, that I have no doubt that it be- 
longs to that species, especially as it lacks the lateral bristles to 
Tooran, and the angular outline of the head of S. grate 
yder. 
Since this specimen occurred in a cultivated field, careful search 
would probably discover the species almost everywhere in proper 
situations.— S. A. Forbes. 
Notes on Fısnes.—The fish described by Messrs. Goode and 
Bean as Lopholatilus chameleonticeps, and also punningly called 
“tile-fish”” by the same naturalists, has made itself celebrated by 
dying in great numbers in the spring of this year. 
great number of dead fish, mostly of a kind unknown to the 
fishermen, were strewn upon the surface between the Grand 
Banks and Barnegat, New Jersey, and on examination, were proved 
to be this fish. The dead fish formed a belt thirty to fifty miles 
wide, in which area they were strewn so thickly that it was 
estimated that fully fifty lay in the area of a bark’s cabin. 
When first reported they were in good condition, and proved 
excellent food. The cause of the mortality is unknown, but Pro- 
