778 The Theory of Sex and Sexual Genesis. [August 1 
Dr. Loew observed that chitine when treated with dilute sul- 
phuric acid gives a reaction of sugar, the present substance gave _ 
no such reaction, and is therefore different from chitine and prob- 
ably undescribed. It is probably closely allied to chitine but may 
contain a relatively larger amount of nitrogen. 
Having collected a large quantity of the epidermis of the com- 
mon brown mussel (Modiola modiolus L.) it was found to consist 
of purely horny matter, and dissolved with great ease in liquor 
potassez. The conchioline which cements the layers of the shell 
is probably of a more refractory nature, but difficult to isolate 
without much labor except in very small quantities, If the fresh 
mussels be put in a box in a hot place the epidermis spontane- 
ously scales off, and may be collected without trouble. 
The horny shell of a gastropod which is distinguished by not 
becoming calcified (Velutina coriacea Pallas) was found to consist 
almost wholly of horny matter, with a trace of phosphate anda 
little carbonate of lime. 
A large number of the shells of a brachiopod (Rhynchonella 
psittacea Ch.) were examined, and to our surprise yielded only a 
bare trace of phosphate of lime, 92 to 94 per cent of carbonate of 
lime, and the remainder consisted of horny matter. This raises 
a question as to the uniformity of the presence in other pee 
pods (Lingula, Discina) of the large proportion of phosphate 
lime, which has been detected in several analyses. 
I have brought up this subject not so much for the : 
contribution now made to it (which is small), but rather to aes 
ulate some of our chemical friends to work in a direction 
more promising for science than some which of late ~~ " 
more fashionable, and to call attention to our extreme ie 
of a great class of facts which, so to speak, lie daily before © 
demanding a solution. 
value of the 
—:0: —— 
THE THEORY OF SEX AND SEXUAL GENESIS: 
BY C. M. HOLLINGSWORTH. 
(Continued from page 677, Fuly number.) 
ok view taken by Simpson seems to me alt 
one, with regard to “the origin of those varie 
hermaphrodites in which there is an actual coéxisten 
or upon both sides of the body, or, in other words, 1 
ties of aout 
ogether aĵ 
nce upon on 
the same 
