most efficacious in France, and it will be worth while for our gardeners to experiment with it. Quassia has long been used as an insect-destroyer. The stavesacre seeds are the seeds of a species of larkspur, or Delphinium, and used to be kept in the old drug stores. Years ago they were much used for an insect that found its home in the human head, but as that has fortunately gone out of fashion, it may be that the seeds are less obtainable than formerly. The stavesacre seeds contain Delphine, which is one of the most active poisons known, and we have no doubt that a very small share of it would prove fatal to insects. — Scientific Opinion.

FAUNA OF ROUND ISLAND. - The remarkable discovery has been made by Sir H. Barkly, Governor of Mauritius, of four species of snakes and several species of lizards, in Round Island, a small island twenty-five miles from Port St. Louis, and separated by a sea only four hundred feet deep, no animals of that description being natives of the Mauritius. The flora was also found to be to a great extinct specifically distinct. -The Academy.

POSITION OF THE BRACHIOPODA IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. For some time past the writer has had reasons for believing that the Brachiopods, with the Polyzoa, had greater affinities with the worms than with the mollusks. He has studied attentively Terebratulina and Discina as well as their early stages, and in all points of their structure interprets articulated characters, and not molluscan characters. Without entering into particulars at this time, he would state that in the structure of the shell he finds the greatest resemblance to the shell of crustacea, both as regards the peculiar tubular structure, and the scale-like appearance, and its chemical composition. In Lingula, while the carbonate of lime amounts to only six per cent., the phosphate of lime amounts to forty-two per cent. The horny setæ which fringe the mantle are remarkably worm-like. In worms the bristles are enclosed in muscular sheaths, while in other articulate animals the hairs are simply tubular prolongations of the epidermal layer. In the Brachiopods these bristles are secreted by follicles and are surrounded by muscular fibres, and are freely moved by the animal. The structure of these setæ differ but little, if at all, from those of the

worms.

The lophophore with the cirri is to be compared to similar parts in the tubicolous worms, and the mantle which covers and conceals their arms, is to be compared to the cephalic collar, as seen in Sabella, for instance, where we find it split laterally, and a portion reflected. If this were greatly developed so as to cover the expanded fronds of cirri, we should recognize quickly the relation between the two.

Dr. Gratiolet has compared the circulatory system of the Brachiopods to that of the crustacea, and Burmeister has shown a resemblance between the respiratory apparatus of certain cirripeds and that of Lingula.

In the reproductive system there is a close similarity existing between the oviducts of Brachiopoda, with their trumpet-shaped openings and, similar organs in the worms.

In the little knowledge we have of their embryology, the strongest proofs exist of their affinity with the worms. Lacaze-Duthiers figures the embryo of Thecidium, and it is a little animal with four segments. Fritz Müller figures an early stage of Discina, and we have recalled to us a positive articulate and worm-like character. From the body of this embryo, prominent bristles project. Smitt figures the same in the embryo of Lepralia, wherein he describes six bristles that appear locomotive; and Claparède figures the embryo of Nerine, a worm, in which we find similar bristles projecting from the body. In this connection it is interesting to note that in the winter eggs, or statoblasts, of Polyzoa we have a relation to similar characters among the lower crustacea, the ephippia of Daphnia, and the winter eggs of Rotifers, for example.

Leuckart places the Polyzoa with the worms, and the close affinity of the Polyzoa with the Brachiopoda is now freely admitted, and we now recall those peculiar worms, or early stages of them, which so strongly resemble in almost every essential point of their structure the hippocrepian Polyzoa.

As many of the foregoing points need ample illustration, and as the writer has in preparation a memoir on the subject, he will now only call attention to the facts supporting these views, evolved from the study of living Lingulæ. It is but justice to state that six months previous to the observations made on Lingula, he had come to conclusions herein expressed, and had freely argued it with his colaborators.

He saw the necessity of examining Lingula, however, before advancing these views, and for this sole purpose had visited North Carolina in company with Dr. A. S. Packard, jr., who with his observations on the worms and crustacea of that region yet found time to follow the writer, step by step, in his studies of Lingula, and was deeply impressed by the disclosures there made. His sincerest gratitude is due Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A., and Major Joseph Stewart, U. S. A., commandant at Fort Macon, North Carolina, for their constant aid and sympathy in furtherance of the object of his visit there.

After nearly a week's fruitless search, Lingulæ were found in a sand shoal, left at low tide. They were found buried in the sand. The peduncle, which was about six times the length of the shell, being 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 healed and a new sand-tube promptly formed. When placed on the surface of the sand they were noticed to move quite freely, by the sliding motion, in all directions, of the dorsal and ventral plates, aided at the same time by the rows of setæ or bristles, which swung back and forth like a galley of oars, leaving a peculiar track in the sand.

The peduncle was hollow, and the blood could be seen coursing back and forth in its channel. It was distinctly and regularly ringed, and presented a remarkably worm-like appearance. It had layers of circular and longitudinal muscular fibre, and coiled itself in numerous folds

or unwound at full length. It was contractile, also, and quickly jerked the body beneath the sand when alarmed.

But the most startling discovery in connection with this interesting animal was the fact, that its blood was red. This was strongly marked in the gills, which were found in the shape of a series of rows of simple lamellæ, hanging from the internal surface of the mouth; thus proving the correctness of Vogt's observations from alcoholic specimens. At times the peduncle would become conjested, and a deep rose blush was markedly distinct. The sexes were distinct.

The writer believes the Brachiopods to be true articulates, having certain affinities with the crustacea, but properly belonging to the worms, coming nearest the tubicolous annelids. They may better be regarded as forming a comprehensive type, with general articulate features. Possibly they have affinities with the mollusks, through the homologies pointed out by Allman as existing between the Polyzoa and Tunicates.

It is interesting to remember that Lingula, though one of the earliest animals created, has yet remained essentially the same through all geological ages to the present time. - EDWARD S. MORSE.

Fig. 76. Peduncle perfect, retaining a portion of the sand tube.

Fig. 77. Showing the valves in motion; the peduncle broken and new sand case being formed. Fig. 78. Peduncle broken close to body and sand case being formed.

THE RUBY CROWNED WREN. In reply to Mr. Allen's question, I may state positively that, according to my experience, the adult fertile female is "ruby-crowned" like the male. She is perhaps a trifle smaller, not quite so brightly colored, and with the flame-colored patch possibly of a little less extent; but she cannot be distinguished from the male with certainty, except on dissection, and even then it is not always easy to determine from slight inspection, unless the organs are enlarged in functional activity. The barren or sickly female may possibly not acquire the ornament. Birds of both sexes lack it for at least a year; whether they breed or not with plain heads I do not know. These come along in spring in the rear of the mature birds; they are most abundant at the time when the latter are about leaving. - ELLIOTT Coues.

GEOLOGY.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF IOWA. - The legislature of this state has discontinued the survey which was being so ably conducted by Dr. C. A. White. This seems inexplicable in a state which must necessarily be very largely benefited by the exploration and discovery of its natural resources. Legislatures, however, are not governed by the same rational laws of self interest which actuate private corporations and individuals. Though single mining and manufacturing companies consider it necessary to employ an engineer or a chemist, the legislatures are far too poor or too anxious about the next election to pay any attention to the development of the natural resources and mining interest of the state. Provision has been made, however, for the publication of the State Geologist's Report, which is to be completed in the same style as the Illinois Geological Survey.

NEW FOSSIL TURKEY. - At the meeting of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, March 8th, Professor O. C. Marsh of Yale College, exhibited a number of fossil remains from the Post-tertiary deposits of Monmouth county, New Jersey, which indicate a new and distinct type of birds, closely related, apparently, to the turkey, and not unlikely the progenitors of the existing species. The specimens shown were portions of three skeletons, of different ages, which belonged to birds about the size of the common wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo Linn.), although proportionally much taller. The tibia and tarso-metatarsal bones were, in fact, so elongated, as to resemble those of wading birds. These interesting remains were referred provisionally by Professor Marsh to the genus Meleagris, and the species they represent was named Meleagris altus.

MICROSCOPY.

CIRCULATION OF THE LATEX IN THE LATICIFEROUS VESSELS. - Within a few days I have repeated some experiments (first made more than fifteen years since) upon the circulation of the latex in the laticiferous vessels of the leaf of Chelidonium majus, to which I desire to call attention.

Before detailing these experiments it ought, perhaps, to be stated that Amici, Dutrochet and Mohl deny any visible motion in them except such as is the result of injury; while Schleiden says "that in the uninjured vessels, the motion of the latex can very seldom be successfully shown;" even in Chelidonium majus it is only occasionally possible, and then presents great optical difficulties.

Now, I find, by potting a young plant of this kind, and placing any young leaf between two strips of glass (upon which a drop of glycerine has been put) in such a manner as to bring the under side of the leaf up

permost on the stage of the microscope, so as to throw the strong reflected sunlight upon it from the mirror below, that;

First, there is occasionally either a nearly total want of motion or only a very slow one of the colored granules, or at times a very rapid motion of the particles to be seen, running from right to left, if the vessel happens to run horizontally on the stage, or toward me if the vessel runs from the outer to the inner border of the stage, and

Secondly, that while watching the circulation as seen through the lenses in the reflected sunlight, if I move the diaphragm from left to right, so as to make the shadow enter upon the right of the field of view, a brisk circulation (no matter how quiet it had been before) is instantly witnessed, which appears to be changed in direction as we move the diaphragm back again; and that the direction of the circulation can thus be changed at will by the interception of the sunlight. This same result can also be witnessed by the passage of clouds between the sun and mirror. The actual direction in the plant is from the apex of the leaf in sunlight and toward it in the shade. This change in direction is so rapid when produced by the shadow of fast flitting clouds across the sun's disc that it would seem that the change of temperature could hardly be felt by the plant, it certainly could not be by an ordinary thermometer; but a heated body properly placed will quicken the circulation, as will cold retard it. If I mistake not we have here a fine demonstration of the conversion of light into heat by its passage through the vegetable tissues, and of heat into motion by its action upon the laticiferous vessels.

Prof. Balfour in the Article Botany, "Ency. Brit.," says that in plants with milky and colored juices evident movements have been perceived, and mentions the calyx leaves of Chelidonium majus, as also the Indiarubber plant, the gutta-percha tree, the dandelion, and the Euphorbia; and through your journal, should you think this article worth insertion, I would ask assistance in the examination of this interesting subject. By mixing a little of the colored juice with alcohol, and adding a little water, it will be seen that the motion of the liquids in the vessels cannot be the result of evaporation. And that it is not an ocular illusion may be argued from the fact that three independent observers witnessed the changes of motion as above described. -H. C. PERKINS, M. D., Newburyport.

Note, May 12. I have just examined the circulation of the latex in the laticiferous vessels of Leontodon taraxacum under the same circumstances as that of Chelidonium and am pleased to find precisely the same results. - H. C. P.

DOES BOILING DESTROY GERMS? This question cropped up in the course of the Pasteur and Pouchet controversy on Heterogeny, and it appeared that there are some germs that are not destroyed by boiling, but which require a temperature some degrees (10° or 12°, we believe) above boiling. This is another simple problem for microscopists. - Monthly Microscopical Journal.