94 



The Naturalist. 



Structure of Amphioxus Icmceola- 

 ^its." Having shown in a brief 

 historical sketch that British natu- 

 rahsts have had a. large share in 

 the first investigations of this sin- 

 gular creature, he described its 

 external aspect^ especially noticing 

 the median fin-rays. The lateral 

 cutaneous folds were shown to be 

 dependent on the state of disten- 

 tion of the body cavity. The semi- 

 cartilaginous hoop surrounding the 

 aperture of the mouth was des- 

 cribed, with its tentacles, or cirrhi ; 

 also the cavity of the mouth with 

 its three openings, viz. , two lateral 

 slits and a median orifice, which is 

 the true mouth. The great bran- 

 chial sac was next described, and 

 shown to consist of a delicate bas- 

 ket or cage of cartilaginous fibres, 

 and is perforated with slits through 

 which the water passes freely into 

 the body cavity, finally escaping by 

 the abdominal pore. The circula- 

 tory apparatus was then described. 

 A large vessel running along the 

 lower border of the branchial sac 

 gives off contractile branches oppo- 

 site alternate branchial bars ; these 

 branches are distributed over the 

 walls of the branchial sac, and then 

 unite to form a dorsal vessel which 

 redistributes the blood to the body. 

 The intestines were shown to be 

 extremely simple, a blind pouch 

 being the only representative of the 

 liver. That it is so is proved by 

 its having a portal circulation. The 

 existence of canals which represent 

 renal organs, was also mentioned, 

 and the paper concluded with a 

 comparison of the general structure 

 with that of the Lamprey. Speci- 

 mens of both fishes were shown. 



also microscopic slides showing the 

 details of structure in Amphioxus ; 

 and a neat diagram was also made 

 use of. — W. D. Roebuck, Hon. 

 Sec. 



OvENDEN Naturalists' Society. 

 — The monthly meeting of this 

 Society was held on Saturday 

 evening, Mr. T. Robertshaw, pre- 

 sident, in the chair. There was a 

 moderate attendance of members. 

 Mr. T. Hirst exhibited a number 

 of birds, including dunlin, spotted 

 sandpiper, a pair of pheasants, and 

 a pair of greenshanks, from Ame- 

 rica. The secretary read the 

 balance sheet for the year, which 

 showed the -society to be in a 

 flourishing state. During the year 

 twelve new members have been 

 added to the Society, and seven 

 volumes of books to the library, 

 and a large number of geological 

 specimens have been collected. 



Rastrick and Brighouse 

 Naturalists' Society. — Meeting 

 Dec. 13th, Mr. Edwin Whiteley in 

 the chair. The botanical specinens 

 numbered 26, and were named by 

 Mr. Wentworth. Amongst them 

 were Calendula officinalis, SindPoten- 

 tilla Tormentilla, in bloom. Mr. 

 G. L. Lister exhibited and named 

 a number of geological specimens, 

 from the middle coal measures of 

 Low Moor, including some fossil 

 teeth (Megalicthysa-nd Strepsosaurus, 

 an Idhyadorulite Pleuracanthus 

 Lavissimus — ) and some ferns. Mr, 

 W. Kaye exhibited a number of 

 beautiful shells (Helix) which had 

 been found amongst corn imported 

 from Egypt. — W, M, Turner, Sec. 



