been eliminated from time to time, and referred to their proper branches. After long and careful study Mr. Morse was prepared to state that the Brachiopods were true Articulates, and not Mollusks, and that their proper place was among the worms, forming a group near the tubicolous Annelids.

He stated that for the past year he had been deeply engaged in the study of the Brachiopoda, and more particularly their early stages. Beside material from the coast of New England, he had had, through the kindness of Prof. A. E. Verrill, a large lot of Discina from Callao, Peru, belonging to the Yale College Museum. From these he had studied their early s ages, but as he had in preparation a memoir upon the subject, he would now confine himself to the considerations that follow.

He first spoke of the structure and composition of the Brachiopod shell, and pointed out the relations between the cœcal prolongations of the mantle in Terebratula and a similar structure in the test of Crustacea. He had also noticed a marked resemblance between the polygonal cells in the shell of a young Discina, and a similar feature in certain lower Crustaceans. The scale-like structure of the test of Idotaea, resembled the scale-like structure of Lingula. The skin of Nereis had similar punctures or dots, as seen in Terebratula and also in the peduncle of Lingula. He had submitted the shell of Discina to

chemical tests and believed it to be chitinous. Gratiolet had already given the chemical analysis of Lingula anatina and found forty two per cent of phosphate of lime, and only six per cent of carbonate of lime. The position of the valves of all Brachiopoda were dorsal and ventral, and this was a strong articulate character to be compared to the dorsal and ventral plates of the Articulates. The horny sete that fringe the mantle of Brachiopods was a feature entirely absent in the Mollusca, and peculiar to the worms.

The bristles of worms differ from those of other articulate animals in having sheaths containing muscular fiber, while in other Articulates, the hairs were simply tubular prolongations of the epidermal layer. In Brachiopods the setæ or bristles were secreted by follicles imbedded, or surrounded by muscular fibers, and were moved freely by the animal. In the structure of the setæ he found an identity with that of the worms. He then called attention to the resemblance between the lophophore of the Brachiopods and a similar structure in the tubicolous worms. In Sabella the cephalic collar was split laterally, and a portion of it reflected. Let this collar be developed so as to cover the fringed arms, and a representation of the mantle of Brachiopoda would be attained. The thin and muscular visceral walls suggest similar parts in the worms. The circulating system he had not sufficiently studied, though Dr. Gratiolet had stated

that in this respect there was a strong resemblance to the Crus

tacea.

In regard to the respiratory system, Burmeister had shown that there was a resemblance between the soft folds or lamellæ, developed on the internal surface of the mantle of Balanidæ, and similar features in Lingula; though the existence of these folds in Lingula had been questioned, he would presently show that Vogt was right in his observations. In regard to the reproductive system, he called attention to the fact that in one group of Cirripeds the ovaries were lodged in the upper surface of the peduncle, while in another group the same parts were lodged in the mantle. A similar condition existed in the Brachiopods where in one group the mantle holds the ovaries, while in another group they are found in the visceral cavity.

Through Polyzoa also he showed that, in their winter eggs or statoblasts, a relation was seen to the ephippia of Daphnice, and the winter eggs of Rotifers.

Of great importance also, and upon which he laid particular weight, were the peculiar oviducts with their trumpet-shaped openings so unlike the oviducts of mollusks, and as he believed, bearing the closest affinity to the oviducts in many of the worms, namely: a pair of tubes, and in one case two pairs, having their inner apertures with flaring mouths, suspended in the visceral cavity, thus opening a direct communication between the visceral fluids and the surrounding media. He then called attention to what little information we had regarding the embryology of the Brachiopods. Lacaze Duthiers had shown that in Thecidium the embryo was composed of four segments with eye-spots and other strong articulate features. Fritz Müller had given a description, with figures, of the early stage of Discina, in which we have not only little cirri projecting from the shell, but a little appendage recalling the plug or operculum in some of the tubiculous worms.

Of great importance also was the fact that in the early stage of Discina, Müller observed large bristles, and these were moved freely by the animal. Smitt had shown that in certain Polyzoa (Lepralia) the embryo, besides being furnished with cilia, also supported several bristles or seta which were locomotive, and finally in the worms, Claparède and Mecznikow had figured an embryo of Nerine in which barbed bristles were also developed. Mr. Morse referred to his communication before the American Association for the Advancement of Science on the early stages of the Brachiopods, in which he had shown the intimate connections existing between this group and the Polyzoa. Now Leuckart had already seen reasons for placing the Polyzoa with the Annelids, and he would call attention to Crepina gracilis and Phorronis hippocrepia, admitted to be worms or early stages of

them, and their close resemblance in nearly every point of their structure to the hippocrepian Polyzoa. Mr. Morse then stated that in the evidence already given, he had drawn his conclusions from alcoholic specimens of Terebratula and Discina, and from the papers of Lacaze-Duthiers, Claparède, Mecznikow, Hancock, Huxley, Vogt, Hyatt, Williams, De Morgan and others. He felt the importance of first examining Lingula in a living condition before making these announcements and for this reason he had recently visited the coast of North Carolina for the express purpose of finding if possible the rare Lingula pyramidata of Stimpson, first discovered by Prof. Agassiz in South Carolina. After nearly a week's fruitless search he had found it, had studied it alive, and had brought with him living examples, which he has the pleasure of exhibiting before the Society.

He would here express his deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Elliott Coues, Surgeon U. S. A. at Fort Macon, N. C., and the Commandant of the Post, Major Joseph Stewart, U. S. A., for the constant aid and sympathy rendered to Dr. A. S. Packard and himself during their visit there. He would not enter into a description of Lingula as he had already in preparation a memoir upon the subject, but would call attention simply to the additional evidence in support of the views advanced.

Lingula was found in a sand shoal at lowwater mark, buried just below the surface of the sand. The peduncle was six times the length of the shell, and was encased in a sand tube differing in no respect from the sand tubes of neighboring annelids. In many instances the peduncle was broken in sifting them from the sand, yet the wound was quickly repaired, and another sand case was formed.

Fig. 1. Peduncle perfect, retaining portion of sand tube.

Fig. 2. Showing valves in motion; peduncle broken and forming new sand-case. Fig. 3. Peduncle broken close to the body, and forming new sand-case.

He observed that Lingula had the power of moving over the sand by the sliding motion of the two valves, using at the same time the fringes of setee which swung promptly back and forth

like a galley of oars, leaving a peculiar track in the sand. In the motion of the setæ he noticed the impulse commencing from behind and running forward.

Within the mantle he found a series of rows of prominent lamella in which the blood rapidly circulated, thus confirming the correctness of Vogt's observations. These lamellæ were contractile, however.

The peduncle was hollow, and the blood could be seen coursing back and forth in its channel. It was distinctly and regu larly constricted or ringed, and presented a remarkably wormlike appearance. It had layers of circular and longitudinal muscular fiber, and coiled itself in numerous folds or unwound at full length. It was contractile also, and would quickly jerk the body beneath the sand. But the most startling observation in connection with this interesting animal, was the fact that its blood was red. This was strongly marked in the gills and various ramifications of the mantle and in the peduncle. At times the peduncle would become congested and then a deep rose blush was markedly distinct. Mr. Morse expressed his gratification in having come to the conclusions in regard to the annelidan characters of Brachiopods a long time previous to his observations on Lingula.

He then concluded by stating that the Brachiopods, with the Polyzoa, should be removed from the Mollusca, and placed with the Articulates among the Annelids. That the Brachiopods came near the tubiculous worms, though they were much more highly cephalized. That they exhibit certain crustacean characters, but were widely removed from the Mollusca unless a relation could be traced through the homologues of the Polyzoa to that aberrant group the Tunicates, as pointed out by Allman. He believed the Brachiopods to be a comprehensive type, exhibiting general articulate features, and forming another example of those groups belonging to the last that exhibit the characters of two or more classes combined.

It was interesting in this connection to remark that Lingula, one of the earliest forms created, had yet remained the same through all ages of the earth's history.

A New Comet.-WINNECKE discovered a new telescopic comet at Carlsruhe on the night of the 29-30 of May. The position obtained by him for May 30, is as follows: M. T. at C. 14 13 345. R. A. 0h 50m 9.55". Decl. +28° 52′ 18". Vogel found for the same comet at the Leipsic observatory, M. T. at Leipsic 13 2 28*5*, R. A. 0h 50m 409. Decl. +28° 53' 17.4. We would call the attention of American astronomers to the prizes for the discovery of comets offered by the Austrian Academy. (See this Jour., vol. xlix, p. 442).

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

I. PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY.

1. On the emission, absorption and reflexion of varieties of heat radiated at low temperatures.--MAGNUS has communicated an interesting and valuable paper on the heat radiated at low temperatures, and on the absorption and reflexion of such rays. The results of this investigation, the last we suppose made by the lamented author,-are so far as published, in his own words as follows:

(1.) Different bodies at 150° C. radiate different kinds of heat. These kinds of heat are more absorbed by a substance of the same kind, as the radiating body, than by others, and this absorption increases with the thickness of the absorbent.

(2.) There are substances which emit only one or a few kinds of heat, others, which emit many kinds.

(3.) To the first of these belongs rocksalt when quite pure. Just as its ignited vapor, or that of one of its constituents, sodium, radiates but one color, so rocksalt, even at a low temperature, emits but one kind of heat. It is monothermic, as its vapor is monochromatic.

(4.) Rocksalt even when quite clear emits, together with its peculiar rocksalt-heat, heat which is not more absorbed by a plate of rocksalt 80mm in thickness than by one 20mm in thickness.

(5.) Rocksalt absorbs very powerfully the heat which it radi

ates.

It therefore does not, as Melloni supposed, allow all kinds of heat to pass through it with equal facility.

(6.) The great diathermancy of rocksalt does not depend upon its less power of absorption for different kinds of heat, but upon the fact that it radiates only one kind of heat, and consequently absorbs only this one, and that almost all other substances send out heat containing only a small fraction or none of the rays which rocksalt emits. But all rays which differ from those radiated by any substance, are not absorbed by it, but pass through with undiminished intensity.

From this we may infer that every substance is diathermanous, only because it radiates but few waves of quite definite length, and consequently absorbs only these, allowing all the others to pass through.

(7.) Sylvin behaves like rocksalt, but is not monothermic to the same extent. In the case of this substance also an analogy exists with its ignited vapors, or those of potassium, which as is well known yield a nearly continuous spectrum.

(8.) Fluor spar completely absorbs pure rocksalt heat. We ought therefore to expect that the heat which it emits will be equally absorbed by rocksalt. Nevertheless 70 per cent of this heat pass through a rocksalt plate 20mm in thickness. This may doubtless be easily explained with reference to the proportion of the quantity of heat which fluorspar emits in comparison with that