THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
minent feature of the journal, and will, we 
trust, be the means of doing much towards 
creating interest, and stimulating research 
in these sciences. 
Space will be set apart for the comparison 
of notes, and for the discussion of scientific 
questions of current interest. 
.Reviews of scientific literature will also 
appear; and & precis of the most important 
articles will be given. 
Such are a few of the more prominent 
features of the programme which we shall 
endeavour to follow". To enable us to carry 
it out effectively, we would invite the aid 
*/ * 
of our readers and other scientific workers; 
for the success of a journal of this descrip- 
tion depends not so much on the exertions 
of its Editor, as on the cooperation of its 
contributors. While, therefore, asking them 
to accord us their hearty support, we pro- 
mise to spare no pains to render “The Me- 
diterranean Naturalist” worthy of their 
confidence, and of the sciences whose hum- 
ble servitor it aspires to be. 
»OCOOOCCXDC<- ■ 
A short history of the study of the 
Foraminifera In Italy 
by Professor G. Capellini, f 
The study of the Rhizopods, that have played 
such an important part in the constitution both of 
the calcareous and siliceous rocks from the most re- 
mote geological ages, lias lately acquired a still' 
greater importance in consequence of the discover- 
ies made in the ocean depths by means of the 
investigations that were carried out during the 
voyages of the “Lightning”, and of the “Porcu- 
pine” from 1868-70, of the “Challenger’ from 1872- 
76, of the “Blake”, of the “Travailleur” 1880-82, of 
the “Falisman” 1883, and of other English, Ameri- 
can, and French ships, and latterly by the expedi 
tion which was undertaken by the “Vettor Pisani.” 
* Read before the Royal Academy of Science of 
Bologna, 
It was, during these expeditions, that the 
intimate relations that exist between the calcareous 
rocks, and the glorigerina ooze which was collected 
at a depth of about 4000 metres, and between the 
siliceous rocks and the radiolarian mud that was 
found in even greather dephts, were established. 
, This branch of study, as l have already had 
occasion to record, (1) had its origin Bologna in 
the year 1730, owing to the patient researches and 
fortunate discoveries of Jacopo BortolomeoBeccari, 
who gave an account of them to our Academy in a 
memoir which was afterwards published in the 
first volume of the Commentaries under the title: 
“De bononiensi arena quadem.” 
Beceari demonstrated that the yellow sands of 
the hills around Bologna were deposited in the 
depths of the sea, and in the course of his researches 
with the microscope, he succeeded in finding, 
mixed w ith the grains of sand, large quantities of 
minute shells, that he showed to be of marine 
origin and which he named “Corni cli Ammone”. 
It is well known to all who are engaged in the 
study of natural history, that after these discover- 
ies of Beccari, Jano Planco(2) found many varieties 
of similar shells on the shores of Rimini and thus 
while adding considerably to the Roman natural- 
ist’s personal reputation, the discovery also had 
the effect of inducing others to occupy themselves 
in similar researches. 
A mong these we note the names of Gualtieri of 
Florence 1742, and Ferdinando Bassi of Bologna 
1757. (3) 
Bassi not only discovered the microscopical 
“ Corni di Ammone o Nautili ” that are now 
included among the foraminifera, but he also 
(1 ) Capellini . G. — Geologia e Faleontologia del 
Bolognese. Cenno storico. Bologna 1862. 
Capellini. G. — SulVanalisi meccanica delle roc- 
cie crittomere per mezzo delle lamine sottili e del 
microscopio. Rendie asc. Sc. Bol . , 3 febbraio 1875. 
Capellini. G . — II macigno di Borretta e le 
Roccie a Globigerine dell 1 2 3 Apennino Bolognese, mem. 
accad. delle Sc. di Bologna , Serie IV. Tom. II. 
1880. 
(2) Blanco J. — Be conckis minus notis liber. 
1739. 
(3) Bassi F. — Be quibusdorn exiguis madreporis 
agri bononiensis. Bon. Sc. Art. Inst. Acad. Comm, 
Vol. IV. Opuscula pag. 1 9 Bon 1757. 
Fornasini G. — I foraminiferi della Tabella 
Oryctographica esistente net Museo geologico di 
Bologna , Boll. Sue. geol. Ual. Roma 188 f 
