XVI. Further observations on the organization of the fossil plants of the coal-measures.—Part II. The roots of Calamites

Until quite recently our knowledge of the roots of the Calamites has been very scanty and limited to such characters as can. be seen with the naked eye, in specimens preserved as casts and impressions. Lindley and Hutton, in 1833, figured a Calamite with two branching roots, inserted immediately above the nodes of the stem in which they were borne, besides other more doubtful specimens of the same kind. Many similar casts have been observed by more recent investigators. Grand’ Eury, for example, has figured numerous specimens of Catamites , bearing roots, both on their rhizomes and their upright stems. So far as his figures show, the roots are always inserted exactly at the nodes.

XI. Experimental researches on vegetable assimilation and respiration.—No. II. On the paths of gaseous exchange between aerial leaves and the atmosphere

That individual cells within the substance of all plants conduct the gaseous exchange necessary for their metabolism by diffusion through their proper cell-walls must be beyond doubt, and that the exchange of gases between a water plant, as a whole, and the surrounding liquid is of the same nature seems as indubitable. When, however, we consider land plants, it becomes less obvious in what way or ways the continuous exchange of gases between the plant and the atmosphere is effected. The epidermis of such plants is covered with a more or less well-developed cuticle, through which specialized openings, stomata, occur with varying distribution and frequency. In maturer parts the epidermis and its cuticle may be replaced by suberised tissue, and the stomata by less specialized openings, the lenticles.

XII. On the ascent of sap

Many theories have been formed to account for the ascent of sap in high trees, when root pressure is not acting. All have been found, on careful examination, unsatisfactory. Our attention was particularly directed to the problem as we were together in Bonn, in the Summer of 1893, when Professor E. Strasburger was kind enough to show us some of his experiments on the question, and since then we have, at intervals, occupied ourselves with some considerations as to the cause of the ascent of liquids in trees. It was not, however, till late last Spring that we had leisure to enter definitely on the research. We wish to acknowledge the kindness of Professor E. Perceval Wright in giving us the benefit of his advice on all occasions, and also the advantage we derived from Professor G. F. FitzGerald’s suggestive ideas.

XVIII. An estimate of the degrees of legitimate natality as derived from a table of natality compiled by the author from his observations made at Budapest

Statistics applied to the subject-matter of different sciences are merely a method: but statistics exist also as an independent science, the contents of which represent the demological facts obtained by application of the statistical method. The two branches of demological science, that is, statistics of natality and of mortality, are, both of them, sprung from the soil of England. It was in 1665 that the Royal Society, by publishing the 'Natural and Political Observations,' written by Captain John Graunt three years before, laid the foundation stone of that science which, under the name of Vital Statistics, or Demology (Demography), forms the scientific nucleus of statistical researches.

III. Researches on the structure, organization, and classification of the fossil reptilia.—Part IX., section 6. Associated remains of two small skeletons from Klipfontein, Fraserburg

In 1888, in the ‘Phil. Trans,' B, vol. 179, I described some parts of the skeleton of Theriodesmus phylarchus . Its geological horizon was then unknown. In the following year I visited the locality where it was found, at Klipfontein, near Fraserburg, in Cape Colony, on the summit of the volcanic series of rocks the escarpment of which forms the Neiuwveldt range. As the base of the Karroo rocks at Prince Albert is fully sixty miles south, and the same strata dip towards the north, over all that distance, with some minor undulations in the southern part of the area, while the elevation of the surface of the country augments northward, Klipfontein holds a high position in the deposits of Permian age which are comprised in the Karroo formation. I had the advantage of the company of the late Mr. Thomas Bain, who conducted me to the farm of two brothers, E. and O. Erasmus, where the Theriodesmus was collected. But after an interval of more than twelve years, the effects of atmospheric forces in breaking and removing the surface rocks made it impossible to discover additional remains of that animal. We carefully explored the banks and bed of a dried stream which drains into the Orange River, where I met with fragments of two species of the ganoid fish, Atherstonia , which have been regarded by Mr. A. Smith Woodward as new species, but found nothing resembling Theriodesmus . Along that stream I found and collected fragments of two skeletons which appear to me to be referable to Theriodonts, though their position in the group is not certain. These fossils show the association of limb bones and vertebrae; and with them I found fragments of skulls, which may have belonged to the same animals; but the association should be made with caution, since it is unsafe to put together disconnected fragments of skeletons which may have been associated by transport, unless there is corroborative evidence that they belong to the same type of organization. These small animals in the character of the humerus are Marsupial in type. This character being associated with carnivorous dentition among existing animals, led me to anticipate the discovery of a skull showing canine teeth. Such dentition though poorly preserved, I found near by, in the bed of the river, associated with the back of the skull.

VIII. Contributions to the life-history of the foraminifera

In the preface to his classical work, ‘Über den Organismus der Polythalamien,’ published in 1854, Max Schultze acknowledged with regret the incompleteness of the account which he was able to give of the reproductive processes of the Foraminifera. and pointed out that a rich field here lay open for future investigation. In the years that followed Schultze him self made further contributions to our knowledge on this head, but, important as they were, they only went a short way towards solving the problem.

IV. On the evolution of the vertebral column of fishes

The importance of the problems attempted in the present communication needs no special comment, but I have much pleasure in expressing my thanks to generous friends for kind assistance. Mr. Adam Sedgwick put at my disposal his probably unique and comprehensive collection of well-preserved embryos and prepared slides, illustrative of the development of Scyllium, Acanthias , and Acipenser .

VII. On the cœlomic fluid of lumbricus terrestris in reference to a protective mechanism

Since the publication of Claparède’s classical memoir on the earthworm, numerous writers have contributed to advance our knowledge of the morphology of this animal. In England, the writings of Ray Lankester, W. B. Benham, and F. E. Beddard have considerably increased the literature of the subject; but, with the exception of incidental references to function, the papers hitherto published have dealt chiefly with the morphology, taxonomy, or geographical distribution of the animal. Darwin long ago collected the observations of Claparède and other older authorities on the physiology of the earthworm, in his work on Vegetable Mould, which consists mainly of his own observations on the habits of the animal. An article “On the Retractile Cilia in the Intestine of Lumbricus terrestris ,” by M. Greenwood, in the ‘Journal of Physiology,’ vol. 13, is, I think, the only systematic contribution in English to our knowledge of the physiology of the earthworm in recent years. The present communication contains the results of an investigation into the functions of the cœlomic fluid. The greater part of the research consists, therefore, of a detailed study of the morphology and physiology of the amœboid cells, which form the most important contents of the cœlom. But in the course of my observa­tions, I was led to investigate some of the chemical characters of the cœlomic fluid, and also to examine certain other structures, such as the skin and the dorsal pores, which form, with the cœlomic fluid, a very remarkable protective mechanism.

V. Organic oximides.—A research on their pharmacology

By the term “organic oximides” is understood the whole class of organic compounds whose molecular constitution includes the chemical group = N. OH. Few questions have of late years interested the scientific chemist more than those relating to this class of carbon compounds. For the most part these bodies are of recent discovery, and are still at the present time yielding material for numerous contributions to the chemical journals, more especially in Germany, where the investigation of their chemical nature was initiated by Professor Victor Meyer and his pupils. Indeed the enthusiasm shown by chemists in the elucidation of the structure and reactions of these compounds is sufficient evidence of their importance as a class.

II. Researches on the structure, organization, and classification of the fossil reptilia.—Part IX., section 5. On the skeleton new cynodontia from the karroo rocks

This name was originally used, by Sir It. Owen, for the division of the Anomodontia, of which Galesaurus is the type. Subsequently, Theriodontia was defined, so as to be co-extensive with the older Cynodontia, both groups being based upon a type of dentition, which approximates to that of Carnivorous Mammalia. The name Theriodontia, hence, has some appearance of being a synonym of Cynodontia. The group Theriodontia, is obviously a larger group than the original Cynodontia, since its type, Lycosaurus , has simple pointed molar teeth, and it also includes Nythosaurus and Scaloposaurus , in which the molar teeth are laterally cuspidate. The Theriodontia include the Cynodontia, because the Cynodont genera were grouped in this way by Sir It. Owen, and, because there is no evidence of ordinal differences in the skull. The Cynodontia is conveniently distinguished from the Lycosauria by dental, and other minor characters of the skull; and I propose to use the name Cynodontia for animals which resemble Galesaurus in skull structure, and resemble Nythosaurus in the type of molar teeth. The crowns of the cheek teeth not being preserved in Galesaurus , I take Cynogathus , the genus now to be described, as the type of the group, which will be thus defined and limited. This genus makes known, for the first time, the more important parts of the Theriodont skeleton in association with the skull. The small bones of the limbs were not found in Cynognathus . Some account of bones of the extremities in other types of Theriodonts is given in other sections (2, 4, 6) of this paper, but in no case is there similar actual association of those bones and the skull. This sub-order of Therosuchian Anomodontia is defined as having incisor, canine, and laterally cuspidate molar teeth, of carnivorous type. The mandible fits within the upper jaw so as to give the teeth a dividing action, as in shears. The coronoid process of the lower jaw is formed by the dentary bone, and is strongly developed. There is no descending pedicle to the squamosal bone which, with the malar bone, forms a zygoma, placed as in Lemurs and Carnivora; and as in the extinct Mammal Elotherium .