752 Proceedings of Scientific Societies. [August, 
—Dr. C. O. Whitman, now connected with the biological labo- 
ratory of Mr. E. P. Allis, Jr., is to edit an American Journal of 
Animal Morphology, to be issued in two parts a year, at $6 a vol- 
ume, the first number to appear in January, 1887. The pubi 
are Ginn & Co., of New York, Boston and Chicago. 
—Baron Mikluho-Maclay has just returned, says Nature, to 
Odessa from his journey to New Guinea, which has lasted two 
years. He has brought a large collection of rare fishes, lizards, 
snakes, insects, etc., packed in twenty-two boxes. 
—While the subject of hybridity is attracting renewed atten- 
tion from biologists, it is interesting to note the communication 
to the London re o Sariely of a case of hybridism between 
Oris hodgsoni and O. vi 
—Capt. D. H. see of Camp Wg Utah, was drowned 
June 6th, in crossing the Grand river en route to a camp in 
Southern Utah. He was withisiastically devoted to natural “his: 
_ tory. 
—Dr. W. J. Hoffman, of the Bureau of Ethnology, has received 
the gold medal of the Reale Societa Didascalica Italiana, at Rome. 
The Society is mainly composed of anthropologists. 
:0:—— 
PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY oF NATURAL ScIENcES, Oct. 6, 1885.— 
Mr. Morris remarked that four successive ideas seem to have 
ruled in the development of animal forms, viz: (1) ) soft bodies; 
(2) armored bodies; (3) swift motion ; wW intelligence. It is 
probable that the primitive animals were alÌ soft-bodied, with only 
the tentacle, thread-cell, etc., for their weapons. The oldest 
fossils are for the most part those of armored animals; but eee 
on swift flight and swift pursuit were the chief methods of attac 
and defence, and claws were added to teeth as ate weapons. 
Still later, intelligence culminated in man. We have now 0? 
an epitome of the four methods. ial 
-~ Mr. Redfield accounted for the obscurity of the traces of glaci 
= action in the vicinity of Mt. Desert by the theory that the Be 
_ had been submerged long enough to remove the striæ from the 
softer rock. 
= _ Oct. 13.—Mr. J. A. Redfield described the topography. of A 
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in connection with the flora © 
those islands. The general character of the flora of thé ce 
pr of the former is much like that on the summit of the divides 
Corema — exist, also three species of Erica which seem to be 
