through a Rhoëchinus stage, and later a Palæechinus stage. Melonites in its development passes through an Oligoporus stage. An early stage in developing Echinoderms was named the "protechinus" stage. At this stage are first acquired those features which characterize the developing animal as a member of the Echinoidea. The protechinus stage in Echinoderms is directly comparable to the protoconch of Cephalous Mollusca, the protegulum of Brachiopods, the protaspis of Trilobites, etc. The Echinoderm at this period in its growth has a single interambulacral plate (representing a single column of such plates), and two columns of ambulacral plates in each of the five areas. This stage is seen in Oligoporus, Lepidechinus, Goniocidaris and other genera; it finds its representative in an adult ancestral form, in the primitive, oldest known genus of the class Bothriocidar is of the Lower Silurian, which has but one column of interambulacral and two columns of ambulacral plates in each area. Species of Oligoporus and Melonites with few interambulacral columns are considered the more primitive types, as they are represented by stages in the development of those species which acquire a higher number of columns in the adult. The structure of the ventral border of the corona of Archæocidaris was described. It presents a row of plates partially resorbed by the encroachment of the peristome, as in modern Cidaris, etc. Ambulacral and interambulacral plates on the peristome were described in Archæocidaris, also teeth and secondary spines on the interambulacral plates of the corona. This paper contains a classification of Palæozoic Echini based on the structure and development of the ambulacral and interambulacral areas and the peristome. It will be published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America.-Science, Nov. 22, 1895. American Fossil Cockroaches.'-This memoir, published as Bulletin 124 of the U. S. Geological Survey, is a revision of the known species of American fossil cockroaches to date. The descriptions of new forms are interpolated in a systematic list of all the species yet recovered from the rocks, and such tables have been added as may enable the student to readily determine any new material. With the publication of this essay all species hitherto described will have been figured. 1 Bulletin of the United States Geological Survey, No. 124. Revision of the American Fossil Cockroaches, with Descriptions of New Forms. By Samuel H. Scudder, Washingtou, 1895. The new forms are Paleozoic, and are mostly from two new locali. ties-Richmond, Ohio, and Cassville, West Virginia. There are, however, a number of new species from old horizons. Tables of the geographical and also of the geological distribution of both American and European genera are given in the introduction, followed by a statement of the characteristics of the Mylacridae and a discussion of some of the anatomical features of paleozoic cockroaches. In this connection the author calls attention to possible mimicry among these old forms of insect life, and figures side by side a cockroach wing and a fern frond found associated in the same beds, to show how close is the resemblance between them in the general distribution of nervures and in outline. The illustrations comprise twelve page plates and three figures in the text. The Comanche Cretaceous.-Prof. R. T. Hill has found some outlying areas of the Comanche series in Barber and Comanche Counties, Kansas, and in G County, Oklahoma, and in the Tucumcari region of New Mexico. These strata are identified from paleontological evidence. The importance of a correct determination of these beds is evident from the following concluding remarks of the author. "The geology of the outlying areas of the Cretaceous preserved in the scarps of the Plains adds greatly to our knowledge of the distribution, variation, paleontology and history of the beds of the Comanche series, and of the progressive oscillatory conquest of the Great Plains region. by the sea in Cretaceous time. The Belvidere (Kansas) beds have revealed the following additions to our knowledge of Cretaceous paleontology First, a lower stratigraphic occurrence of the dicotyledonous Dakota flora than known, whereby we may now say that dicotyledons make their first appearance before the beginning of the Washita subepoch, instead of in the Dakota as hitherto believed. Second, a similar downward range in the geologic scale of the ichthyic vertebrates of hitherto supposed Upper Cretaceous range. Third, intermingling of these plants and fishes with molluscan species and other vertebrates of the Washita division such as has not hitherto been found in the Comanche series." (Amer. Journ. Sci., Lol. L, 1895). Kolguev Island, which lies 130 miles southeast of Novaya Zemlya, differs, according to Col. Feilden, in geological structure, both from mountainous islands of its neighbor and from Russian Lapland. The entire elevated region of the island is composed of beds of sand contain ing erratic boulders. to a depth of not less than 80 feet, and these sandy beds rest on the Kolguev clays. These in turn are 50 miles long by 40 wide, with a thickness of not less than 250 feet, probably more. This great mass is evidently a glacio-marine deposit. A few molluscan remains were found in it, all well known boreal forms existing at the present time, but no vertebrates nor drift-wood. A collection of erratics made by the author are identified by Prof. Bonney as rocks of Mesozoic age, either Jurassic or Wealden. (Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., 1896.) Palæontologia Argentina.-Vols. I (1891), II (1893), and III (1894). The Museo de la Plata of Argentina has progressed thus far with the publication of monographs illustrative of its magnificent collection of fossil vertebrata of that country. The style of the publication is worthy of the subject; the size selected being folio, and the plates phototype reproductions of the originals, often of the natural size. The whole is issued under the supervision of the director of the Museum Dr. Francisco P. Moreno, who contributes some of the articles in connection with M. Mercerat; while Dr. Lydekker, of London, furnishes the greater number. The first volume, on the extinct birds of Argentina, consists solely of plates, with pages of names referring to the figures. These plates depict objects of great interest, many of the bones belonging to the extraordinary family of the Phororhacidæ of Ameghino, which seem to be nearly allied to the existing Cariamidæ of South America. Most of these birds are of gigantic size, and their powerful legs and hooked beaks indicate that they were quite competent to maintain their place in the fauna of which they form a part. We have waited for some years before noticing this valuable publication, in hopes that the text would appear. It seems, however, that there is no intention of publishing a descriptive part. Under the circumstances we must regret that names were attached to the figures, for, although figures may give currency to specific names, they cannot do so for names of any higher grade, and a considerable amount of synonymy has been thus created. Dr. Ameghino has also subsequently shown, that in this atlas a good many duplicate names have been given to the same species. In the second part are published three memoirs by Dr. Lydekker. These include figures and descriptions of Dinosauria and Cetacea from Patagonia, and mammalia Ungulata from the same region. The magnificent plates are accompanied by descriptions, and this volume is therefore more valuable than its predecessor. Unfortunately the de scriptions are quite inadequate, and the specimens will have to be more fully described before their characters can be sufficiently known. The third volume is chiefly occupied with the Edentata, and this memoir is admirably illustrated. The descriptions (by Dr. Lydekker) are rather more full than those of Vol. II, but not full enough. They are marred by frequent supercilious references to Dr. Florentino Ameghino, who is the most competent paleontologist of the vertebrata in South America, and whose descriptions compare very favorably with those of other paleontologists in all respects. His figures are not so good as those of the work now under review, for here we have a case in which the most skilful hand has not had the financial advantages it ought to have had. From our past experience we should say that when Dr. Lydekker states that organic forms are distinct species he is apt to be correct; but when he identifies forms alleged to be distinct, further examination is in order.-C. BOTANY.1 Tilden's American Algæ.-The first century of this distribution by Josephine Tilden, of Minneapolis, was sent out about a year ago, but has not hitherto been noticed in these pages. The specimens are very neatly prepared, and are attached to cards or mica slips. In most cases they contain an abundance of material, but, in a few instances, we might wish for more generous specimens. The species represent the following genera: Oedogonium (4), Sphaeroplea (1), Hormiscia (2), Chaetophora (4), Draparnaudia (3), Stigeoclonium (6), Conferva (1), Microspora (1), Urospora (1), Cladophora (15), Pithophora (1), Vaucheria (5), Botrydium (1), Hydrodictyon (1), Tetraspora (2), Palmella (1), Protococcus (3), Euglena (1), Spirogyra (10), Cosmarium (1), Porphyrosiphon (1), Symploca (2), Lyngbya (2), Phormidium (1), Oscillatoria (8), Spirulina (1), Gloeotrichia (2), Tolypothrix (1), Nostoc (3), Anabaena (2), Merismopedia (1), Navicula (1), Pleurosigma (1), Gomphonema (2), Cocconeis (1), Nitzschia (1), Odontidium (1), Synedra (2), Fragilaria (1), Cystopleura (1), Lysigonium (1). The introduction of Euglena among plants is, in our opinion, a mistake, although one which will probably do no harm, since it will be difficult if not impossible to recognize them from dried specimens. 1 1 Edited by Prof. C. E. Bessey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska. Century II is announced to appear soon. We bespeak for it a liberal patronage.-CHARLES E. BESSEY. The Columbines of North America.-Thirteen species of Aquilegia are described as occurring in North America in Robinson's edition of Gray's Synoptical Flora (1895). These fall into two types, as follows: A. Old World type, with hooked or curved spurs : A. brevistyla, Rocky Mountains of British America, and the Black Hills of South Dakota. A. saximontana, Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A. flavescens, Pembina and British Columbia to Oregon and Utah. A. micrantha, southeast Utah. A. ecalcatata, southwest Colorado. A. jonesii, northwest Wyoming and Montana. B. American type, with straight spurs: A. canadensis, common east of the Rocky Mountains. A. formosa, Alaska to northern California, Idaho and Utah. A. caerulea, Rocky Mountains from Montana to New Mexico. A. longissima southwest Texas. It is interesting to note that in Torrey and Gray's Flora of North America (1840) there were but four species described, viz.: A. canadensis, A. formosa, A. caerulea and A. brevistyla. It is possible that some of these species may be reduced to varieties upon a more critical study of the genus, but even with the most rigid reduction we should still be left with a large representation of these interesting plants. Their curious beauty and comeliness, with their general distribution, may well warrant the suggestion which has been made to make the Columbine our national flower.-CHARLES E. BESSEY. Sets of North American Plants.-Two sets of peculiarly interesting North American flowering plants attract the attention of herbarium curators at this time. They consist very largely of species from Florida, that wonderfully rich semi-tropical region whose botanical treasures we are just learning to appreciate. The first is a set of 400 specimens by the veteran collector A. H. Curtiss, of Jacksonville, Florida. A personal examination of the specimens warrants the same high commendation which all of Mr. Curtiss's work has hitherto received. |