have to be formed for their reception, for which I propose the name of Salpistes, from raλiors, 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