New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-14
AMERICAN SCIENCE.
npocrEDINGs OF SOCIETIES.


- uans,een. Prof Brioschi of Milan, In place
~ Clmsles: W. f. Gladstone, in place OF D. stuart
MAJ Charles Darwin in place OF DE Verneuii' ue
ceased. -. ,tor.ba,s
VINEYARD was presented by Prof NJ D ohaier'
ortions of this had been read at previous
prof Gray communicated paper by his FORMER
pupil. DR.. W. G. Farlow. now IN GERMANY Oh 'u'
no,onment of Ferns from the prothallium IRE
otiva Of fertilization, by sort of partheno
Genesis The growth observed took place, not H .h
an arcbegcnium, but from some DINER part VI 'ne
protbalbun. - O.
Pm, rIPHIA: AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL 80
crrry. ian. l6.-Prof Cope made some remarks on
the ancestry of the CdmeIidG,.a subject winch had
heen involved in obscurity. He stated thata great
deal Of light was thrown upon it by the structure OF
che oxtinct gems PoGbrothtriUm (Leidy) which left
abundant remains in the Miocene of Colorado.
While the neck veTtebre had the peculiar character
of the camels and the fossil MdcTdachsd the struc
tnre of the foot Appropriated that of the Aiphodo"
OF the French Tertianes, though not identical. lie
regarded il as the ancestor of the Cdme'dG Closely
allied to Posbrotkeriam in denttiOn are the Mlocene
genera Hypisodus (Cope), Leptom9yr Leidy), and
Hvp,rtraqulus (Copel; these differ considerably in
the structure of the foot, and regarded as the
ancestors Of some Of the ruminants of the existing
family of 7rdquiidF. The Hypisodas min'n'w was
stated TO be the smallest known ruminant, not ex-
eeeding cat-SquirTel in bulk.
Prof Cope read paper on the age Of the Ignite
and other corresponding formations of the West'
and especially its supposed equivalent in NortneI"
Colorado He referred 10 his determination Oh tne
lIpper Missouri formations as CTetdCeous III looo'
Of the Wyoming Bitter Creek series as OF tne stno
age in 1872. He now added the Colorado strata TO
the same on the evidence of vertebrate remains pro-
cured by himself during the past season IN couhec-
tlon with the United States Geological survey
these remains consisted of U1OsGariG of three sre-
go of a
die. Three OF four of the genera were Oaghos'lc'
The DtRosdHrd were referred 70 the Old genus
Aqdthaumds and the new genera Poiyondr and Con
edon The Ci0HOdOn GrctdtUs large herbiyorous.
saurian allied to HddrosaUras, bnt with most com
pick and singular type OF denttOn the size that OF
horse. The other two species are much larger.
NEw-HAvKN: CONNECTICUT ACADEMY; Nov. 10
President Lyman in the chair. Prof Nerrin gave
an account of the operations of the United
States Fish Commission on the coast Of
New-England during the Summer of 1873
He referred to the work of the Commission
Cor the two previous years On Vineyard Sound and
In the BAY of Fundy, and then described in more
detail the dredging carried on the past season III
Caseo Bay, and in the deeper waters oil shore from
Nonhegan Island to Cape Cod. Some OF the more
Interesting geological discoveries noticed. and
numerous drawings made from the living animals
were exhibited. He also referred TO the numerous
observations the temperature AZ the surface and
n various depths, aud gave some conclusions de
rived therefrom.
Dec 17-President Lyman in the chair Prof.
Marsh gave an account of the explorations OF his
party in the Rocky Mountains and on the Pacific
coast during the past season. The present expo
aiton had the same object in view as those of pre-
vious years viz a study of the vertebrate fossils Of
che West, especially those Of the CTctaceOus and
Tertiary formations. The first explorations this
year were made in the Pliocene deposits near the
Nobrara River. Many new animals were discovered
and ample materials secured for a full investigation
\ Of those previously known from that region.
II second expedition was made in August from
Fort Bridger, Wyoming, and large collections of
Eooene fossil vere6Tates obtained. especially
of the DHOoerdtd. QuddramdRd and CterOpterG,
which had first been brought to light by the re-
searches of the party in previous years third trip
made in September TO the Tertiary beds Of Idaho
and Oregon, where interesting discoveries
made The party went from Oregon 10 San Francisco
by sea- aud then returned East by rail. ON the way.
short visits were made the localities in the Nocene
of Colorado and CretaceOus OF Kansas, TO complete
Investigations begun last year. Among the more re-
narkable fossils obtained were numerous remains of
the Gigantic MiOcenemammals, which the speaker
had called Reconsideration, These animals resemble
lbe ThnOceros in some respects but differ in having
She head armed with transverse pair of large
horns The teeth also quite different, and
there was one more toe IN the mauusi The supp0sv,
genera 'SymbOr0cja aud MobdSidds fecehtiv named
DIV ITOf. Cope. were not geneflCalIV ulStlnct from
rOntOtheria the reported absence OF lower incisOrs
being evidently due Ia either OF imUeI1ccuOn OF
specimens. The expedition as q whole very sue
sesstu not merely on account OF the large number OF
new animals discovered. but also on account of the
extensive collections made TO complete the study of
those previously found.
Prof. Brewer exhibited several OF the maps re-
Gently issued by the state Geographical Survey of
California. Their beauty and accuracy elected
much admiration Attention was called to the
recent death of Prof Agassiz, and committee
appointed to prepare resolutions expressive OF the
profound SORROW of the Academy and their sense
of the great loss suffered BY the scientific world.
Copies OF the second part Of the second volume OF the
Transactions Of the Academy were exhibited by the
Publishing Committee.
PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY OF NATURu SCIENCES:
Jan l3-Prof. Leidy made some remarks on our ma
tive Hydra and described the common green and
brown species. He stated that they had been re-
sarded as distinct species from the greenland brown
ones Of Europe, but he could perceive no difference
He described the habits of some of Rhi.ODOdd in
eating Diaf0mdoed; they absorb the chorophyl and
reject the sciOus she'll AmOjq deyours Arceild.
Prof Carson exhibited fumigator and made some
observations on il.
Jan. 20.-PrOf Cope exhibited the jaws of large
csrnivOrOus fish from the cretacoOus formation of
Kansas the Porfheus lesto Cope and stated that its
afnues are to the SalmOnidG and Clupeids and that
its mouth is vertical indicating habit of Selling its
prey from below. He also exhibited the pectoral
spine of Portheu5 gOdas Cope which is nearly four
feet long, and has sharp cutting edge in front.
Both were discovered by Prof b. Nudge of Kansas
Prof Cope exhibited some remains of tOrtoises
FROM the bracksh water beds beneath the Bad Lands
Of Colorado and pointed out that they were identi-
cal with species discovered by DR.. Hayden in the
Fort Union formation of Dakota. He identified the
Colorado beds with this group, and believed that
they of Cretaceous age and stated that il was