Marca 14, 1884.| 
of the pubis, and the ischium appears behind as a 
downward expansion below the acetabulum. The 
further change consists chiefly in the expansion of 
the ileum, and in the growth of the pubis and is- 
chium; which last two become inclined backward, 
and acquire a considerable posterior prolongation. 
During these changes the pelvis passes through a 
stage which is permanent in Apteryx. The division 
of the primitive anlage into the skeletal parts is pro- 
duced by the known histological changes at the joints. 
The author thinks that Hofmann’s ‘ epipubis’ (Neder. 
arch. zool., iii.) is the true pubis, and his ‘ pubis’ in 
reptiles a process of the ischium. She also corrects 
some errors of Bunge. 
These observations throw much light on the homol- 
ogies of the pubis, of which the pectineal process is 
a branch, so that the pubis is biramous. A compari- 
son of the bird with mammals (in which the pectineal 
process is often reduced, and sometimes absent) and 
dinosaurs at once determines the homologies of the 
pubis in these forms. In reptiles the pubis has also 
two branches, — the main body of the pubis; and the 
> 
Young Chick 
pe Chick, 20 days 
processus lateralis; pp, pectineal process. 
posterior ramus lateralis, which may be wanting, 
however, as is the case with crocodiles. After dis- 
cussion of the subject, the writer concludes, we think 
rightly, that the so-called pubis of reptiles is homolo- 
gous with the pectineal process, and the lateral ramus 
homologous with the pubis of higher forms. The 
homologies are given in the following table, and 
differ, it will be seen, very widely from those cur- 
rent :— 
Reptiles. | Dinosaurs. |Embryo bird.| Birds. Mammals. 
1. Pubis. | Pubis Anterior Pectineal | Pectineal 
(Marsh).| branch of process. process. 
pubis. 
2. Processus; Postpubis | Posterior Pubis. Pubis. 
(Marsh).| branch. 
“-<1aagal 
Miss Johnson also investigated the development of 
the limb. Her observations agree in almost every 
SCIENCE. 
& 
EXPLANATION. —i/, ileum; ac, acetabulum; is, ischium; pd, pubis; pi, 
Lugeare rees 
325 
detail with Baur’s (Morphol. jahrb., viii.): we there- 
fore note merely the presence of five metacarpals, 
and the failure to find a separate origin for the 
intermedium; but, in opposition to Morse, she is in- 
clined to concur with Baur in describing the ascend- 
ing process of the astragalus as an outgrowth from 
the tibiale. Morse’s conclusion may be due to his 
having studied different birds (aquatic species). It 
is a pleasure to praise this excellent paper. 
C. S. Minor. 
RECENT WORK ON BRACHIOPODS. 
THE important though rather fragmentary obser- 
vations of Kovalevski on the development of the 
brachiopods have long remained sealed in their ori- 
ginal Russian from western naturalists, who have only 
had access to more or less incomplete synopses of the 
original. MM. Oehlert and Deniker have prepared 
for the latest volume of the Archives de zoologie ez- 
périmentale a careful analysis of the paper in ques- 
tion, illustrated by rough but sufficiently clear figures 
reproduced from the original. The result is 
a paper of some twenty pages, which may 
be obtained separately, and will have a value 
for all biologists, whatever their position as 
to the author’s theories. 
In a note on Terebratula (Centronella) 
Guerangeri, M. Oehlert signalizes the exist- 
ence of two or three forms of this genus in 
the Devonian of Europe. He discusses the 
relations of Centronella, Leptocoelia, and . 
Renssellaeria, and concludes that they prob- 
ably represent an arrested development, 
which would, if carried out, bring them into 
relations with Waldheimia, and that they 
should be referred to the same sub-family. 
The absence of punctation in the test is 
referred to metamorphism, as in C. Gue- 
rangeri all stages were discovered, from im- 
punctate to completely punctate. 
The same author, in the Bulletin de la 
société géologique de France, discusses the 
Devonian Chonetes of western France, where four 
species are found in the grauwacke and calcaire beds, 
but are absent in the grits. One of the species, C. 
tenuicostata, is new, and all are figured; while the 
characteristics of the genus are thoroughly re- 
viewed. 
In the same publication the author describes two 
new species of Acroculia from the lower Devonian 
of Mayenne, reviews the genus, and shows that the 
prior name of Platyceras Conrad, being doubly pre- 
occupied in insects, must give way to Acroculia. 
Lingula Norwoodi, from the Cincinnati limestone, 
is redescribed and figured by U. P. James in the Cin- 
cinnati journal of natural history. 
Glottidia pyramidata Stimpson has been found by 
Hemphill in South Florida, considerably extending 
its range, and leading to the suspicion that G. antil- 
larum Reeve, described from the West Indies, may 
be identical with it. 
Wis oH. DD Agaes 
