748 



the o^uard from the meandring impressions of blood-vessels obser- 

 vable on the surface of some specimens ; but the presence of a cal- 

 careo-corneous capsule or sheath investing the guard, and expanding 

 into a horny receptacle, has not till now been demonstrated. 



The author considers the facts described as proving that the ce- 

 phalopod of the Belemnite was entirely distinct from the Beiemno- 

 teuthis ; and that the muscular mantle, cepiialic arms, and other 

 parts referred by Professor Owen to the former, exclusively belong 

 to the latter genus. 



He concludes that the remains of at least three genera of naked 

 Cephalopoda occur in the argillaceous deposits of the oolite in Wilt- 

 shire ; namely, the first or true Calamary, with a homy dorsal gla- 

 dius or pen ; the second, the Belemnoteuthis, or a decapod with unci- 

 nated cephalic arms, ink-bag, pallial fins, and a comeo-calcareous 

 phragmocone ; and the third, the Belemnite, v\-hich possessed a phrag- 

 mocone having the apical part implanted in the cavity or alveolus of 

 a guard or osselet, which in its original state resembled in substance 

 the sepiostaire of the Cuttle-fish, but is generally found mineralized 

 by calcareous spar : and the peristome, possessing two or m.ore elon- 

 gated shelly processes ; both the guard and the phragmocone being 

 invested with a corneo-calcareous capsule or receptacle. He observes, 

 lastly, that the body and other soft parts of the cephalopod of the 

 Belemnite are at present unknown. The author's communication 

 w'as illustrated by drawings, and accompanied by the specimens 

 above described. 



March 30, 1S4S. 



The MARQUIS OF NORTHAaIPTOX, President, in the Chair. 



Professor Ritter, of Berlin, and M. }.Iilne Edwards, of Paris, were 

 elected Foreign 3,Iembers. 



" Chemical Researches on the Nature of Wax.'"' By Benjamin 

 Collins Brodie, Esq. Communicated bv Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 

 Bart., F.R.S. 



It is known that bees'-wax is separable, by means of boiling water, 

 into two portions : to the one, which is more soluble in alcohol tha.n 

 the other portion, the name of Cerin has been given : the residuary 

 portion, Vvdiich does not dissolve, has been tenned Mycicin. In this 

 paper the author gives an account of his investigation of the proper- 

 ties of the former of these substances, namely Cerin. 



This substance has been represented by certain chemists in France, 

 M. Lewy and M. Gerhardt, as being convertible by oxidation into 

 the stearic acid, and as being a substance which stands with respect 

 to that acid in the remarkable relation of an aldehyde. These views 

 the author believes are incorrect ; and he states that no pure chemical 

 substance was procured by these chemists from cerin, and that the 



