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Krefft. No other species was known which would connect the living and extinct ones during the great lapse of time between the mesozoic and existing ages. But recently Mr. Krefft has obtained a new Ceratodus from the same cave formations which contain the remains of the great extinct kangaroos and Diprotodons, which are late tertiary or postpliocene. The species is called C. palmeri. Thus a beginning is made in tracing the line of succession similar to that recently developed in the case of the North American garfishes.

EOZOON, ITS ORGANIC CHARACTER.

The controversy as to the organic character of Eozoon Canadense still continues among geologists. It may be remembered that the organic character of this supposed fossil has been stoutly affirmed by Professors Dawson and Carpenter, and denied by Professor King and others. One of the latest sharers in the controversy is Mr. H. J. Carter, an eminent specialist in regard to the lower orders of animal life, and who expresses himself in the strongest terms on the opposite side. Dr. Carpenter, however, comes to the defense of his views by insisting that Mr. Carter has not made himself acquainted, in the slightest degree, with what has been written in support of the organic character of these objects, and that Professor Schultze, an equally eminent specialist, is satisfied that it belongs to the foraminifera.-12 A, April 23, 1874, 491.

ANTIQUITY OF THE CAVERNS AND CAVERN LIFE OF THE OHIO VALLEY,

Professor Shaler has published a memoir upon the "Antiquity of the Caverns and Cavern Life of the Ohio Valley," in which he endeavors to show the period at which the animal life, so characteristic of Western caverns, received its first expression. He sums up his researches in the following propositions: 1. The extensive development of caverns in the Ohio Valley is probably a comparatively recent phenomenon, not dating farther back than the latest tertiary period. 2. It is doubtful whether there has been any extensive development of cavern life in this region before these caverns of the subcarboniferous limestone began to be excavated. 3. The

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general character of this cavern life points to the conclusion that it has been derived from the present fauna. 4. The glacial period, though it did extend the ice-sheet over this cavern region, must have so profoundly affected the climatal conditions that the external life could not have held its place here in the shape we now find it, but must have been replaced by some arctic assemblage of species. Under the circumstances, it is reasonable to suppose that most if not all the species found in these caves have been introduced since the glacial period. 5. We are also warranted by the facts in supposing that there is a continued infusion of new blood" from the outer species taking place, some of the forms showing the stages of a continual transition from the outer to the inner form.-Memoirs, Bost. Nat. Hist. Soc.

NEW MODE OF EMBALMING.

Madame Jaloureau has lately furnished what l'Abbé Moigno considers an important contribution to the question of the disposal of the bodies of the dead. This process consists essentially in the use of an impermeable coffin, together with certain substances which produce a rapid decompositionnot putrid, however—and which can not escape from its inclosure. The coffin, which is made of tough material, is thoroughly coated inside on all its joints with bitumen or asphalt, and covered on the exterior. The body itself is then brought in contact, prior to being sealed up, with phosphate of lime, which has the property, already referred to, of causing a rapid decomposition, but without any unpleasant odors. It is asserted that by this method coffins opened at the end of five years are absolutely free from any disagreeable smell. It is maintained that by following this process coffins may be piled one above another in limited inclosures, and without the danger of any unpleasant or noisome exhalation, and that interments can be made in vaults and tombs without necessitating the process of embalming.-3 B, April 1, 1875, 501.

THE INTESTINAL SECRETIONS.

Dr. Brunton has for some time past been prosecuting an inquiry into the intestinal secretion, with the special object of ascertaining, first, whether other neutral salts have a similar effect to that of sulphate of magnesia in promoting this

secretion; second, whether any compound have the power of preventing such action; and, third, what are the nerves which regulate the intestinal secretions during life? In answer to the first, he has ascertained that several neutral salts possess the same power as sulphate of magnesia, but in a less marked degree. In reply to the second, he states that sulphate of atropia has such power over the secretion of the submaxillary glands, but that it has no effect in restraining the full action of magnesia in increasing the intestinal secretion. As to the nerves regulating the secretion, a negative result was obtained, he having ascertained that it was not the splanchnic nerves; what they really are Dr. Brunton hopes to learn in a future inquiry.—15 A, August 29, 1874, 274.

DISCOVERY OF ANIMAL REMAINS IN THE LIGNITE BEDS OF THE SASKATCHEWAN DISTRICT.

An important contribution to the question of the age of the so-called "transition" or "lignite" beds, which contain such a large proportion of the Rocky Mountain coal, has been made by George M. Dawson, the geologist of the British North American Boundary Commission. He has discovered a locality, rich in fossils, in beds of this age on the Milk River, in the Saskatchewan district. The remains presented include fishes, turtles, and numerous land saurians, but no mammals. The saurians belong to that strange group, the Dinosauria, which are not known to have existed later than the cretaceous period, and their presence determines the lignite beds to be cretaceous in that vicinity, as they have already been proved to be in Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. Several of the species are common to most or all of these places. There are also found in the Milk River locality remains of gar-fishes. These have been found also in the tertiary, and are yet living. Thus, although they are an ancient type, they connect the cretaceous and tertiary formations more closely than has been heretofore known.

THE FUNCTIONS OF CERTAIN CANALS IN THE EAR OF MAN

AND THE MAMMALIA.

The most important paper in the department of anatomy and physiology presented at the last meeting of the British Association, in 1874, is said to have been that of Professor

Crum-Brown upon the function of the semicircular canals of the internal ear of man and the mammalia. From a critical study of various preparations made of fusible metals and otherwise, he concludes that these canals enable us to perceive rotation around axes at right angles to the plane of the canals. The fluid in the canals is set in motion by the rotation, and caused to impinge upon the delicate hairs in continuity with nerves, contained in the dilated portions of the canals; and according as the rotation is around one axis or another, the fluid of one or another of the three pairs of semicircular canals is set in motion, and we are enabled to estimate the direction of the rotation. A number of ingenious experiments were stated, in which the person to be experimented upon was seated on a rotating table; and precautions being used to exclude the use of other means of perceiving the amount and direction of rotation being called into play, the table was rotated, and the character of the sensorial impressions produced was noted. These varied with the position of the head, and the amount of the rotation, in such a way as to confirm Professor Crum-Brown's hypothesis that the semicircular canals are the organs whereby these motions are estimated.-15 A, September 5, 1874, 318.

RESTORING THE RED COLOR OF ALCOHOLIC PREPARATIONS.

M. Felix Plateau publishes a notice of a method of preserving or restoring the natural red color to muscular fibre kept in alcohol, in which he remarks that carbolic acid only preserves this red tint for a short time; besides which the odor is very disagreeable, and the preservation is not permanent unless in connection with continued cold.

Plateau's method consists in first soaking the specimen for some days, after being properly dissected, in commercial alcohol diluted with about half the volume of water, and then drying with a rag. Some small cups are to be prepared, containing respectively some carmine, in powder, mixed with a few drops of ammonia, some powdered chromate of lead (chrome yellow), and lampblack. By means of a small camel's-hair brush several layers of the solution of carmine, more or less diluted with ammonia, are applied to the muscles, after which a little chrome yellow or lampblack is to be added, so as to obtain, by this method of painting, the tint approach

ing as nearly as possible that of fresh muscular fibre. It is better to use but a small quantity of the liquid at one time than to put on several layers. When this is accomplished the entire preparation is immersed from five to ten minutes in a solution of alum, saturated in the cold. It is then rapidly washed in pure water, and finally placed permanently in alcohol.

The theory of the process is very simple, according to Plateau. By dissolving the carmine in ammonia, an ammoniacal solution, or carminic acid, is obtained; and after the painting of the muscle, the addition of alum has the effect of producing a gelatinous, uncolored precipitate of hydrate of ammonia, which is carried away by the excess of the liquid. Consequently, an insoluble carmine lac is formed, which, penetrating a certain depth into the flesh, forms a very solid dye. Specimens in the University of Ghent, prepared as long ago as 1872, still retain all their original beauty. It is not necessary that this process be practiced on fresh muscle. Any preparation, however old, can be restored in this way to the appearance of nature. It is of course optional with the experimenter to apply the color only to such particular muscles, in an anatomical preparation, as it is desired to trace out for demonstration.-Bull. Roy. Acad. Sci., Belgium, 1874, 476.

FAUNA OF THE MAMMOTH CAVE.

Interesting additions to our knowledge of the fauna of the Mammoth Cave have recently been made by Mr. F.W. Putnam, of Salem, who, as a special assistant on the Kentucky State Geological Survey, of which Professor N. S. Shaler is the director, had great facilities extended by the proprietors of the cave, and he made a most thorough examination of its fauna, especially in relation to the aquatic animals. Mr. Putnam passed ten days in the cave, and by various contrivances succeeded in obtaining large collections. He was particularly fortunate in catching five specimens of a fish of which only one small individual had heretofore been known, and that was obtained several years ago from a well in Lebanon, Tennessee. This fish, which Mr. Putnam had previously described from the Lebanon specimen under the name of Chologaster agassizii, is very different in its habits from the blind fishes

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