50 The American Geologist January, i905 
which all evidence points unequivocally to the fact that the 
asphalt has been derived from the natural contents of the 
egg, is considered of scientific value inasmuch as it is the 
first case in which the kind of material from which bitu- 
minous matter has actually been formed can be definitely 
proven. Since an egg contains in concentrated form mate- 
rial like that constituting animal tissue, the actual deriva- 
tion of bitumen from animal remains is thus proven. More- 
over everything about this specimen indicates strongly that 
it has never been much higher than ordinary temperature, 
hence natural conditions are thus demonstrated to be suf- 
fidient to transform animal matter into bitumen during 
long periods of time without the aid of lieat. This discov- 
ery does not necessarily mean, however, that some petro- 
leums have not been derived from other than animal sources. 
DEVELOPMENT AND MORPHOLOGY OF FENESTELLA.* 
Edgar Roscoe Comings, Bloomington, Ind. 
Thin sections and serial sections of exceptionally well- 
preserved bases of Fenestella {Semicoscininjn of authors) from 
the Hamilton of Thedford, Ontario, show the exact size and 
shape of the primary zooecium {protoeciuni) and the morph- 
ology and orientation of the primary buds. The protoecium 
consists of an elongate tubular zooecium with a very large 
basal disc. It is without hemisepta. Morphologically it is 
strictly comparable to the protoeciuni of Cyclostomata (of 
iul?u/i/>ora, chenopora &c.) The two primary buds arise 
from the dorsal face of the protoecium , usually just above the 
basal disc, and are very symmetrically orientated with refer- 
ence to the dorso-ventral plane. They are of about the same 
shape as the protoecium and somewhat smaller. Each of 
these buds produces a single bud in the first tier, and an ad- 
ditional bud arising from one of the latter completes the first 
tier of buds — six zooecia including the protoecium. Zooecia 
of the shape characteristic of the adult Fenestella colony do 
* Abstract of a paper read at the Philadelphia meeting, G. S. A., 
Vi^c, 1904. 
