July 18, 1884. 



SCIENCE 



73 



stomach. These are formed of delicate membrane, 

 lined by a layer of secreting-cells so arranged that a 

 central channel is left for the transmission of the 

 bile. The cells are polygonal from mutual pressure, 

 nucleated and nucleolated, often projecting, and giv- 

 ing the tubes a beaded aspect. The bile is apparently 

 composed of oil-globules and many fine dark granules. 

 The entire organ is very tortuous, and closely applied 

 to the alimentary canal. 



Minnesota academy of natural sciences. 



June 3. — Mr. C. L. Herrick described Spirochona 

 gemmipara Ehr., — an infusorian found parasitic upon 

 the gills, legs, and gill-covers of Gammaruslymnaeus, 

 near the university grounds. The European Spi- 

 rochona was the subject of an elaborate memoir by 

 Hertwig, and was shown to be one of the most 

 pleasing subjects for the study of the subdivision of 

 the nucleus. Attention was drawn to the fact that 

 the American species of Spirochona seems beyond a 

 doubt identical with the European, while the Gam- 

 marus, upon which it lives, is of a different species 

 from that forming its host in Europe. It was not 

 found upon Hyallela or elsewhere. Spirochona 

 Scheutenii Stein is the only other member of the 



genus, and may not be distinct. Mr. Herrick 



also mentioned the occurrence of another curious 

 protozoan in Minnesota, this form being similar to 

 Ophridium versatile of Ehrenberg. The animal 

 bearing this name is allied to the Vorticellae, and is 

 social; but the colonies adhere to the surface of 

 crystal-clear masses of jelly, which may be as large 

 as one's fist. The individuals are sessile upon the 

 sphere, and are peculiar in the great length of the 

 neck-like anterior part of the body when extended. 

 The American specimen measured 0.16 of a millimetre 

 when quite extended. The width of the peristome is 

 .024 of a millimetre. The species was provisionally 

 called Ophridium problematicum. A third infuso- 

 rian Mas described as closely related with Paramoe- 

 cium, but differing in several interesting particulars 

 from it and its allies. In form, this animal is linear 

 lanceolate (about 0.2 of a millimetre long), tapering 

 posteriorly to an almost acuminate point. An- 

 teriorly is a long vibratile proboscis, or fiagellum, 

 which exceeds, when extended, the whole length of 

 the body. The mouth is situated at the base of this 

 proboscis, and opens into a very short infundibulum. 

 The whole surface of the body and proboscis is 

 covered with minute cilia, which are inserted in 

 rows, giving the body a punctate appearance. Longer 

 cilia surround the mouth. The sarcode is trans- 

 parent, and, aside from a few greenish food-balls, 

 contained only a large number (over a dozen) of oval 

 bodies of a similar character (endoplastules in an 

 unobserved coiled endoplast ?) The motions of the 

 animal are very quick, and are occasioned chiefly 

 by the whip-like motions of the proboscis, which is 

 extremely vigorous in movement, and alters its 

 form greatly. Aside from this rapid motion, it can 

 propel itself slowly by means of the cilia covering 

 the entire surface. It is the type of a new genus, 



and was called Phragelliorhynchus nasutus. Rev. 



L. J. Hange contributed a letter on the vegetable 

 remains of the drift. As a missionary among the 

 Scandinavians and Indians of the north-west for 

 over a quarter of a century, his attention has been 

 called frequently to these remains; and he has over 

 seven hundred specimens of woods, leaves, etc.. in 

 his collection. In Minnesota, wood is found at from 

 thirty-five to forty-five feet below the surface: going 

 west into Dakota and Montana, the depth is greater. 

 On the Missouri, above Bismarck, a stump twenty- 

 three feet high and a foot in diameter was struck fifty- 

 nine feet below the surface. Many pines have wood 

 well preserved; others are completely silicified and 

 chalcedonic. Upon many a high point of land in 

 western Dakota one finds a pile of stones, and among 

 them some fine specimens of the silicified wood 

 peculiar to this region. These piles were evidently 

 built by human hands ; and the writer suggested that 

 they were built by the Indians as altars or landmarks. 



Rev. Dr. H. C. Hovey related some interesting 



facts touching the habits of the ant-lion, a colony of 

 which he keeps in his study. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Over one hundred members of the British asso- 

 ciation have notified the local committee at Philadel- 

 phia of their intention to be present at the meeting 

 of the American association. About seven hundred 

 of the British association are expected at the meeting 

 in Montreal. 



— Nature states that the arrangements for the 

 meeting of the geological section of the British asso- 

 ciation are now well advanced. 



The International geological congress meets at 

 Berlin in September, and this will prevent many 

 continental geologists from going to Montreal: Dr. 

 Richthofen, however, will probably be present, and 

 will communicate a paper on some comparisons be- 

 tween the geology of China and North America. It 

 is hoped that others may also arrange to come. 



Meeting in the typical Laurentian country, it is 

 only to be expected that the archean rocks will 

 receive much attention. Amongst the papers sent or 

 promised are the following: Professor Bonney, on the 

 lithological characters of the archean rocks in Can- 

 ada and elsewhere ; Mr. Frank Adams, on the occur- 

 rence of the Norwegian 'apatitbringer' in Canada, 

 with a few notes on the microscopic characters of 

 some Laurentian amphibolites; Dr. T. S terry Hunt, 

 on the eozoic rocks of North America. 



On paleozoic geology and paleontology generally, 

 the following are expected: L. W. Bailey, on the 

 Acadian basin in American geology : E. W. Claypole, 

 the oldest known vertebrates, — an account of some 

 fossils recently discovered in the Silurian rocks of 

 Pennsylvania; J. H. Panton of Winnipeg, geological 

 gleanings from the outcrops of Silurian strata in the 

 Red-River valley, Manitoba. Principal Dawson will 

 give a comparison of the paleozoic floras of North 

 America and Europe, whilst Mr. J. S. Gardner will 



