SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
Ill 
the influence of function. The one, as part of a great scheme of evolution, 
had brought them into existence, and the other, by fitness and use, had pre- 
served them from becoming extinct. 
Further Deep-Sea Exploration. — Dr. W. B. Carpenter, V.P.R.S., stated, 
at the meeting of the British Association at Edinburgh, that he had 
received a letter just then from the First Lord of the Admiralty with 
reference to an application to him for Government assistance in carrying out 
deep-sea explorations, which he was sure the Section would be glad to hear. 
The proposal submitted to Mr. Goschen was for a circumnavigation voyage 
of four years for the purpose of carrying out such explorations ; and at first 
he had said the proposed scheme was too considerable for the Admiralty to 
deal with alone. He (Dr. Carpenter), however, had consulted Mr. Lowe, 
and the result was a reply from Mr. Goschen in the following terms : — 
“ With reference to our interview some weeks ago on the subject of the 
proposed exploration of the deep sea in the Atlantic, the Indian, Southern, 
and Pacific Oceans, I am happy to be able to tell you, after consultation 
with my colleagues, that on receipt of a formal application from the Royal 
Society, we shall be prepared to take a favourable view of your request, and 
to give such assistance as may be possible in the manner indicated in your 
letter of the 17th ultimo.” It would be for the committee of this Section to 
make a recommendation to the general committee to appoint two delegates 
from the Council of the British Association — who would probably be the 
past and present Presidents — to co-operate with the Council of the Royal 
Society in promoting such an application. This recommendation was sub- 
sequently adopted. 
Parthenogenesis in a Chelifer. — In a paper which was read before the Royal 
Microscopical Society in October last, Mr. S. J. McIntyre gave an instance 
which certainly looks like parthenogenesis in a chelifer. The evidence, so 
far as it went, seemed to prove the possibility of parturition without any 
connection with the male since parturition occurred previously. 
The Embryology of Scorpio Italians. — This has been recently worked 
out by Dr. Metschnikofi*, whose paper originally appeared in Siebold's 
a Zeitschrift,” and has been analysed in the American Naturalist. The 
embryology of insects and Crustacea as pursued at the present day by 
zoologists, who are directing especial attention to the provisional mem- 
branes of the egg and embryo, depends almost as much on the skilful use of 
the chemicals as the microscope itself. The author says, “ The methods 
which I employ in these researches are not complicated. I study the eggs 
removed from the ovarian tubes ; or place the living embryo in a drop of a 
weak solution of salt (Salzlosung) ; or I at first submit them to the influence 
of solutions of chromic acid of different strengths, and then examine them 
either with a simple or compound microscope. Out of embryos hardened 
in this way I can make sections. Much of the time I have to work with 
dissecting needles, while the embryos or portions of them treated in this way, 
and in an equal mixture of fresh and salt water, afford very good objects 
for study.” The embryology of scorpions was sketched out in a general 
way by the distinguished German embryologist Rathke. Metschnikofi* 
extends these researches very greatly, and considers as the most important 
results of his studies the discovery that u in the embryo of the scorpions 
