148 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 
tlie presence of both of us, a few more specimens were found in the same 
locality, hut at a depth of 8 to 12 inches below the surface, the earth then 
hein^ drier. Specimens were submitted to Prof. Frank Smith, of the 
Fniversity of Illinois, who very kindly examined them and reported that 
they were, in all probability, Microscolex phosphoreus Duges, a species 
which has been reported from Florida, North Carolina, and probably 
Smith’s Island, Virginia. Doctor Smith states that it is nearly world 
wide in its distribution near coasts. 
Tlie specimens taken were 20 to 30 mm. long, and from 1 to 2 mm. in 
diameter. The light, as usual in luminous organisms, was greenish 
yellow and was evidently given oil' by a secretion, a luminous mucus clung 
to the fingers and tc.) the earth over which tlie worms had crawled, the 
glow lasting for only a few moments. The luminous material appeared 
to be secreted only when the worms were disturbed, suggesting the 
defensive nature of the property. 
We have been able to hud but one reference to luminosity in American 
terrestrial oligochetes, this being a short paper by Prof. George F. Atkinson, 
in the Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, 1887, Vol. IV, Pt. 
II, who probably had the same species as that encountered by us. The 
possession of the luminous power by terrestrial annelids seems to be an 
interesting relic from their marine ancestry, as the luminosity of marine 
annelids is a well-known phenomenon. \Valter (Trav. Soc. Nat. St. 
Petersbrg., C. R., 1909, Vol. 40, pp. 130-7) states that the luminosity of 
terrestrial oligochetes is produced by tbe secretion of hypodermal glands. 
In all there are 18 or 20 references in the literature to the production of 
light by earthworms. 
— F. Alex. McDermott and Herbert S. Barber. 
ON THE REMAINS OF AN APPARENTLY REPTILIAN CHARAC¬ 
TER IN THE COTINGID.E. 
In examining the hinder aspect of the tarsus in Carpodectes under a 
12X hand lens, the rather large oval scales will be seen to contain an 
apparently closed pore, reminding one of the femoral pores on certain 
lizards. The ])ores are more numerous and conspicuous on some speci¬ 
mens than on others, but a few are usually present. I have examined 
all the genera of the Cotingidae accessible to me and find tbe following 
to possess this feature to a greater or less extent: Porphyrolxma, Xipho- 
lena, Carpodectes. Lathria, Chirocylla, Tityra, Querula, Pyroderus. 
CephaJopterus, Calvifrons, Gymnoderus, and Chasmorhynclios. I have 
not examined Tijaca, Ornithion, Doliornis, or Ihematoderus. 
Chirocylla has a most remarkable tarsus, in that on some of the scales 
the pits partake more of the nature of depressions and occasionally there 
are two such; even the scales on the sides of the tarsus and on the basal 
portion of tbe toes have such pit-like depressions or pores indicated. 
Tityra, also, is rather peculiar, as the pits are more strongly developed 
on the lower portion of the tarsus on the outer aspect. 
