have to be formed for their reception, for which I propose the name of Salpistes, from σaλiorǹs, a trumpeter. Since the above was written, my friend Mr Alder has informed me that he has also discovered L. producta near Tynemouth. III. Observations on British Zoophytes.-(1.) On the Reproduction of Turris neglecta. (2.) On the Development of Hippocrene (Bougainvillea) Britannica (?) from Atractylis (Eudendrium) ramosa. (3.) On the Development of Hydra Tuba (Strobila) from Chrysaora. By T. STRETHILL WRIGHT, M.D. Description of Plate III. Fig. 1. Clavula Gossii, proles Turris neglecta. 2. Hydra tuba (Strobila) in various stages. 3. Corallum of same. 1. On the Reproduction of Turris neglecta. The only observations that we have as to the reproduction of the gymnopthalmatous Medusæ are those of Mr Gosse with regard to Turris neglecta. He is the pioneer who first actually witnessed, or rather caught a glimpse of, the reproduction of a hydroid zoophyte from a recognised species of Medusa. In September 1852, he saw the oval purple gemmules of Turris neglecta escaping from the walls of the ovaries, and dropping down to the bottom of the vessel in which they were confined, where they moved slowly about by means of their vibratile cilia. He placed a number of these gemmules in a properly-constructed cell, and, by watching them, ascertained the following facts:-"The gemmule (says he) having adhered to the glass, grows out into a lengthened form, variously knotted and swollen, and frequently dividing into two branches, the whole adhering closely to the glass. After a day or two's growth in this manner, a perpendicular stem begins to shoot from some point of this creeping root, and soon separates into four straight, slender, slightly divergent tentacles, which shoot to a considerable length. The little creature is now a polyp of four tentacles." At this stage they all died, and he never succeeded in repeating his observations. In August last, I picked up at Queensferry a spe cimen of Turris neglecta laden with dark crimson ova. This prize I accommodated with a commodious apartment, in which it might exercise the duties of maternity. After a weary delay of nearly a fortnight, the young made their appearance as dark crimson ciliated larvæ. These underwent the changes so well described by Mr Gosse; but instead of being destroyed by starvation in their infancy, the four-armed polyps underwent a further development into a zoophyte resembling Clava repens (fig. 1, Plate III.) The young of Turris neglecta, which I now place on the table, and to which I have given the name of Clavula Gossii, may be described as follows: Clavula Gossii (Proles Turris neglecta). Polypary creeping, sheathed in a chitinous polypidom. Polyps minute, seated on short stalks, spindle-shaped, furnished with about twelve tentacles; upper row of tentacles long, filiform, four in number, erect; rest of tentacles scattered, shorter, inclined upwards; colour crimson. 2. On the Development of Hippocrene (Bougainvillea) Britannica from Atractylis (Eudendrium) ramosa. This paper appeared as a note to Dr Wright's paper on Atractylis on page 449, Vol I., of the Proceedings. 3. On the Development of Hydra tuba (Strobila) from Chrysaora. In September last, I extracted a larger number of young from the reproductive sacs of Chrysaora. The young in their first stage are (as has been repeatedly observed) swimming ciliated larvæ. The greater part of these attached themselves to the surface of the water, and hung downwards as globular sacs seated on long thin pedicles or stalks (Plate III., fig. 2). The pedicles were surrounded by a thick and very transparent gelatinous case, corallum, or polypidom. The globular sac acquired a mouth, and afterwards four, eight, sixteen tentacles successively. As the Hydra grew, it produced additional attachments from its body. The bases of these attachments in the fully-developed Hydra appeared as a number of closely-aggregated circles (fig. 3), in which the four tissues, colletoderm (a), corallum (b), ectoderm (c), and endoderm (d), could be distinctly made out in those specimens attached to surfaces of glass. It appears, from the above observations, that the Hydra tuba is not a naked polyp, as hitherto described. IV. Specimens of the Lantern Fly of British Honduras were exhibited by J. A. SMITH, M.D. These appeared to be the Fulgora laternaria, Linn., and were sent for exhibition by Mr JAMES BANKS, Prestonpans. It seemed, Dr Smith said, to be still undecided among naturalists whether these flies were really luminous at times or not. Other luminous so-called fire-flies belonged to the class of beetles (Coleoptera). It was of importance, therefore, that the undoubted evidence of eye-witnesses should be produced; and it was suggested that Mr Banks be invited to write to his correspondents in Honduras for information on the subject. V. Notes of Fossils from the Old Red Sandstone of the South of Scotland. By JOHN ALEX. SMITH, M.D. A specimen of a fossil plant was exhibited from the Upper Old Red Sandstone of Roxburghshire. It was found last autumn in the The plant Denholm Hill quarry, in the white rock of its upper beds. was apparently a Fucus or sea-weed; its stem was rather more than onefourth of an inch in width, and divided dichotomously into numerous branches, covering part of the surface of the stone for about a foot or so in length. The few plants found in this locality had been recently described by the Rev. Mr Duncan, Denholm, in a sketch of the geology of the district contained in a work on the "History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire," by Alexander Jeffrey, Esq., Jedburgh. Dr Smith believed it was the first time any of these fossils had been exhibited to the Society. He had much pleasure in presenting this specimen to the Natural History Museum of the University. Professor Balfour said he had no doubt the plant was a Fucus; but more than that he could not determine. Dr Smith exhibited another fossil remain from the same Upper Old Red, in this instance, of Berwickshire; it was found in a Red Sandstone quarry, opened some years ago on the side of the Black Hill, near Earlston, and was of considerable interest, being the only specimen of a fossil, as far as he could learn, that had ever been discovered there. The specimen is a beautifully sharp and perfect impression of a somewhat triangularly shaped group of palatal teeth; it measures of an inch in length. by about in its greatest breadth, and exhibits a transverse, or rather radiating, series of eight depressions, gradually increasing in depth, and showing lines of punctures, corresponding, he supposed, to the rows of the projecting teeth; and the fossil was all the more strikingly displayed from the colour of the sandstone being completely discharged around the cast, which appears as a patch of white, in the dull red of the surrounding stone. He sent the fossil for examination to Mr Hugh Miller a few months before his lamented death, and received, in reply, the following interesting note: SHRUBMOUNT, 30th June 1856. "MY DEAR SIR,-Your fossil is the Old Red Ctenodus of Agassiz (his Coal Measure Ctenodus belongs to a different genus); but though he gives it (his Old Red Ctenodus) a generic standing of its own, it is in reality a portion of the previously described Dipterian genus. The Dipterus had two triangularly arranged groups of teeth on its palate, and your specimen is a remarkably distinct impression made by one of these I could show you groups of teeth, were you to do me the pleasure of looking in upon me here, that would fit into your impression well nigh as exactly as a seal would into the wax which it had stamped. Your specimen is the second of Dipterus which I have now seen from the Upper Old Red Sandstone. The first,-a gill cover,—is in the collection of Mr Patrick Duff of Elgin. I have been prostrated by another attack of my old enemy, inflammation of the lungs, and, after being confined to my bed for a fortnight, am but slowly recovering. Portobello has many visitors at present; but I have seen little of scientific men, and have had little of scientific conversation for the last three quarters of a twelvemonth; and should you chance to come this way, it would gratify me much to have half an hour's talk with you among my fossils. Some of my Old Red ones would, I am sure, cast not a little light on the detached organisms of your south-country beds.-I am, my dear Sir, yours very truly, "HUGH MILler. "Dr JOHN A. SMITH." Wednesday, 22d December 1858.-WILLIAM RHIND, Esq., President, in the Chair. J. W. Laidlay, Esq. of Seacliff, and John M. Mitchell, Esq., Mayville, Trinity, were elected members of the Society. The Office-Bearers for the session were elected as follows: Presidents.-Andrew Murray, Esq., W.S.; William Rhind, Esq.; Thomas Strethill Wright, M.D. Council.-W. H. Lowe, M.D.; Alexander Rose, Esq.; George Logan, Assistant Secretary.-James Boyd Davies, Esq. Honorary Librarian.—Robert F. Logan, Esq. Library Committee.-John L. Stewart, Esq.; Alexander Bryson, Esq.; Patrick Dalmahoy, Esq., W.S. The following Donations to the Library were laid on the table, and thanks voted to the donors : 1. Annales des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles d'Agriculture et d'Industrie, Publiées par la Société Royal d'Agriculture, &c., de Lyon, Tomes VI., VII., VIII., IX., X., and XI.-From the Royal Society of Agriculture and Industry of Lyons. 2. Geological Survey of CanadaReport of Progress for the years 1853-56, printed by order of the Legislative Assembly, Toronto; with quarto Atlas of various lakes and rivers. -From Sir W. E. Logan. I. Mr Rhind exhibited a specimen of black shale, displaying a branch of Lepidodendron several inches in length, with the Lepidostrobus attached to its extremity, which was found by Mr R. H. Traquair, in the beginning of August last, in a stratum of very fissile black shale exposed in the bed of the Water of Leith, a little below the church at Colinton. This shale abounds in the stems of Lepidodendra, in detached Lepidostrobi and Lepidophylli; and in what seems to be impressions of very delicate bivalve shells; also in Cyprides, and detached scales of the Palæoniscus. Notwithstanding the abundance of the two first-mentioned fossils (Lepidodendron and Lepidostrobus), this specimen is the only one Mr Traquair had ever found exhibiting them in distinct apposition. II. On the Cnidæ or Thread-cells of the Eolidæ. By T. STRethill WRIGHT, M.D. Dr Wright, after describing the anatomy of the respiratory, digestive, and hepatic organs in the Eolidæ, stated that, in his Memoir on Hydractinia echinata, read before the Society, November 26, 1856, he had observed, "Hydractinia is infested by a small species of Eolis (Eolis nana), which peels off the polypary with its rasp-like tongue, and devours it,— possessed, I suppose, of some potent magic, which renders all the formidable armament of its prey of no avail. Now, each of the dorsal papillæ |