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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
“ Natural History of New York/’ states that the “ younger individuals, one to 
four inches in length, are more pyriform in shape, are entirely covered with a 
dense, downy hair, and the spines are not so prominent as in the adult. In 
this state he supposes it to be the L. dubia of Edwards. Gibbes, in an 
article in the “Proceedings of the American Association for 1850,” regards 
the two species as distinct, but says that no absolute characters can be indi- 
cated by which they may be separated. He does not know how to account 
for this prevailing ignorance, as the characters existing, separating the two 
species, are so plain. He then goes on to give the special characters, which 
we must omit. 
Are the Brachiopods Annelids ? — This question is asked and answered by 
Mr. E. S. Morse in a late number of the “American Naturalist.” He replies 
at great length to Mr. H. Dali, who takes a different view. The paper is 
too long and too vaguely written for an abstract. 
New American Fishes . — Professor E. D. Cope says that a number of inte- 
resting additions to the ichthyological fauna of the United States having 
been sent to the Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences by his fellow- 
member Samuel Powell, he places them on record for the convenience of 
ichthyologists. Several of the species, it will be observed, were new to 
science at the time they were received ; some of them have been described 
by Professor Gill. Most of these are of West Indian affinity, some being 
simply well-known species of that region, which have wandered, as has been 
suggested by Gill, along the Gulf Stream, and turned aside on the southern 
coast of the New England States. 
A New Position for the Nematoid Worms. — Mr. Lowne, who recently 
read a very valuable paper before the Royal Microscopical Society on the 
above subject, concludes that it is apparent that the Nematoid worms 
stand in a clearly intermediate position between the Echinodermata and 
Annelida. The water vascular system with its vesicles reminds one strongly 
of an Echinoderm ; the pharynx, the pharyngeal teeth, and segmented inte- 
gument are clearly those of an Annelid, whilst the nervous system is more 
nearly like that of the earthworm than that of an Echinoderm. In Gordius 
he thinks there can be no doubt of this, where there is but a single ventral 
cord. He cannot agree with Dr. Bastian’s view that the Nematoid worms 
are more nearly allied to Echinoderms than to Scolecida, although he must 
think much credit is due to him for having first pointed out strong affinities 
with the Echinodermata — not stronger affinities, however, than those known 
to exist between Nemertids and Echinoderms. 
Insect Scales. — Mr. S. J. McIntyre, who may be said to have given the 
greatest amount of attention to the subject in this country, lays down the fol- 
lowing conclusions in a paper published in the “Monthly Microscopical Jour- 
nal ” for January. 1. That the principal structural feature in insect scales is 
corrugated membranes — a plan insuring the maximum amount of strength and 
elasticity with the minimum of weight. 2. That there are a few scales having 
one surface hackled. S. That the ornamental requirements of scales are ful- 
filled either by iridescence or the possession of pigment granules in or upon the 
membranes. 4. That the beaded appearances seen in scales are due to the 
following causes, either singly or collectively : — a. Corrugations taking the 
form of hemispherical embossings j b. Pigments ; c. Shadows of projections, 
