438 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
It was obtained from tbe Isle of Sheppy, which has already yielded a con- 
siderable store of valuable fossils. 
'Further Researches on Eozoon Canadense . — At the meeting' of the British. 
Association Dr. Carpenter read some further notes on the structure of this 
interesting fossil, and there was some conversation on the subject by 
Prof. Bupert Jones, Mr. Hull, Mr. Harkness, and Mr. Pengelly. Strange to 
say, neither Mr. King nor Dr. Downey put in any appearance, though they 
are strictly the opponents of Dr. Carpenter’s ideas. However, there cannot 
now be any doubt that Eozoon is an animal structure. Any who hold 
opinions the opposite to Dr. Carpenter are referred to the te Monthly Micro- 
scopical Journal” for September, in whicli they will find an abstract of a 
recent paper by Dr. Carpenter, accompanied by a sketch, both of which 
undoubtedly prove the animal nature of Eozoon Canadense. 
The Committee on Coal Measures: Labyrinthodonts. — Mr. Miall, F.G.S., 
read the report of this committee before the British Association (Belfast), and 
dealt with the classification of the Labyrinthodonts. He reported that the 
committee had gone through all their work. It was their desire not to be 
reappointed. The following points in the characteristics of the Labyrintho- 
donts are to be noted, as they differ from the statements usually published 
in ordinary manuals : — The skull may be regarded as an amphibian skull, 
overlaid with crocodilian plates. . The teeth occur on the palate and 
maxiliary bones in double rows, and are very numerous. Three thoracic plates 
are present, and the body is covered with bony scutes. They were all, 
except two genera, provided with four limbs, which may have been penta- 
or tetra-dactyla. The vertebrae are numerous, the tail is long, and in some- 
genera makes a most efficient swimming organ. Forty-two genera and 126- 
species are now known, principally owing to the exertions of recent explorers. 
Some of these animals in their mode of life appear to have been fish-like ; 
some resembled serpents, others crocodiles; whilst those of Kilkenny appear 
to have been salamanders. 
MEDICAL SCIENCE. . 
Report on Internal Secretions. — At the meeting of the British Association 
(Belfast), Dr. Pye Smith read a lengthened report from the committee ap- 
pointed to investigate into internal secretions. In the course of his remarks, 
he said for some time the opinion had prevailed among physiologists that 
the nervous system not only exerts an influence upon the calibre of the 
vessels supplying glands with blood for secretion, but that the secreting 
cells themselves are excited to action by nervous stimuli. So firm, indeed, 
has this opinion been held, that Pfliiger’s discovery of nerves terminating in 
the secreting cells has been almost universally accepted, notwithstanding' 
the failure to demonstrate these structures to others. This was partly due 
to the distinguished physiologist who held this belief, and also to the con- 
viction which prevails that such structures must exist. A distinct proof to- 
this effect has been afforded by the researches of Heidenham on the effect 
of atropia upon the secretion of the sub-maxillary gland. When one of the* 
