﻿Scientific Intelligence. 158 



caudal segments of Annelids, like Pectinaria and Sahellaria, with 

 the peduncle of Brachiopods, but he does not mention the fact 

 that in the former the anal orifice is at the end of the caudal seg- 

 ment, which is bent forward, and that this elongation is to facili- 

 tate the discharge of the faeces ; while the peduncle of Brachiopods 

 is imperfoi'ate, does not contain the intestine, and is essentially an 

 organ of attachment. The fal^rication of tubes by the agglutina- 

 tion of sand with a mucous secretion, in Lingula, is a character 

 of trivial importance, for many soft bodied species of nearly all 

 classes of invertebrates, whether Protozoa, Radiata, MoUusca, or 

 Articulata, do the same thing. On p. 28, the identity of the 

 cirri of Brachiopods and Annelids is asserted, but he has not men- 

 tioned that in the latter these organs are genuine gills, with a 

 complicated capillary vascular circulation, which has not been 

 shown to exist in the former. So of the pallial membranes of 

 Brachiopods and the collar of Annelids, he has shown their points 

 of resemblance, but has -largely ignored their great differences in 

 structure, relations, and function. We would also remind our 

 readers that a liberal use of printers-ink on diagramatic cuts, like 

 those on page 21, may serve to conceal differences, as well as to 

 show resemblances. 



The facts in regard to the embryology of the Brachiopods, 

 which are brought out by Prof. Morse in this and in a subsequent 

 memoii", are of great interest and importance, and do, indeed, show 

 remarkable points of resemblance between the embryos and larvae 

 of Brachiopods and of certain worms. a. e. v. 



18. Occurrence of Gigantic Cuttle-fishes on the coast of New- 

 foundland ; by A. E. Verktll. — Considerable popular interest has 

 been excited by severaf articles that have recently been published 

 and extensively circulated in the newspapers of Canada and the 

 United States, in regard to the appearance of gigantic " squids " 

 on the Newfoundland coast. Having been so fortunate as to 

 obtain, through the kindness of Prof. S. F. Baird, the jaws and 

 other parts of two of these creatures, and, through the courtesy of 

 Dr. J. W. Dawson, photographs of portions of two other speci- 

 mens, I have thoiight it worth while to bring together, at this 

 time, the main facts respecting the several specimens that have 

 been seen or captured recently, so far as I have been able to collate 

 them, reserving for a future article the full descriptions and figures 

 of the jaws and other portions, now in my possession. 



We now have reliable information concerning five different ex- 

 amples of these monsters that have appeared within a short period, 

 at Newfoundland. (1). A specimen found floating at the surface, 

 at the Grand Banks, in October, 1871, by Captain Campbell, of the 

 schooner B. D. Haskins, of Gloucester, Mass. It was taken on 

 board and part of it used for bait. Dr. A. S. Packard has given, 

 in the American Naturalist, vol. vii, p. 91, Feb., 1873, all the facts 

 that have been published in regard to this individual. But its 

 jaws have since been sent to the Smithsonian Institution, and are 

 now in my hands to be described and figured. They were thought 



