The extensive series of specimens of members of the Hyolithidæ which Mrs Elizabeth Gray has collected from the Ordovician and Silurian beds of the Girvan district, and submitted to me for investigation, forms the basis of the following memoir.

Through the kindness of Dr John Horne and Professor J. W. Gregory, special facilities have been afforded me of examining the other Scotch examples in the Geological Survey Collection, Edinburgh, and the Museum of Glasgow University. My thanks are also due to Dr F. L. Kitchin for the opportunity of studying the specimens in the Jermyn Street Museum.

Among the specimens collected by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition and brought back to this country was a series of the embryos of penguins of various species, collected at different stages of development by Mr R. N. Rudmose Brown and Dr J. H. Harvey Pirie. These embryos were, for the greater part, of the species Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua, Forst.), the remainder of the species Adelia (Pygoscelis adeliæ, Hombr. and Jacq.). Two Emperor penguins, which had been preserved for examination by the injection of the blood-vessels, were also brought home. Through the kindness of Dr W. S. Bruce these specimens were entrusted to one of us (D. W.) for examination and report, but as the work involved in this proved to be very extensive, Dr A. Campbell Geddes was asked to undertake a share in it, and this he agreed to do.

This report contains the results of the combined investigations.

Harmaline is one of two alkaloids found in the seeds of Peganum Harmala, a strong-smelling herbaceous plant belonging to the order of Rutaceæ. This plant grows to a height of from 1 to 3 feet, is much branched, and profusely covered with leaves. It is found wild in S. Europe, Asia Minor, Egypt, Arabia, N.W. India, and Siberia. It is the Πήγανον ἄγριον (wild rue) of Dioscorides, Πήγανον being the name still applied in Greece to several species of Ruta.

Protocatechyl-tropeine is one of a series of new tropeines investigated primarily with the object of determining the difference in pharmacological action between a lactone and the corresponding hydroxy-acid. Its constitution is shown in the following formula :—

Like most other tropeines, it paralyses the vagal nerve endings in the heart. It also diminishes the irritability of voluntary muscle and its myo-neural junctions, and paralyses the respiratory centre.

Under the name Tutu, three species of Coriaria—C. ruscifolia (L.), C. thymifolia (Humb. & Bonp.), and C. angustissima (Hook.)—are usually included. Other species have been described, but they appear to be varieties only. All the forms are poisonous, and in times past this plant has proved a serious hindrance to the rearing of stock in New Zealand. Lindsay, in the course of a tour through the country during the latter part of 1861 and the earlier months of 1862, “was everywhere struck by the abundant evidences of the devastation produced among flocks and herds from their feeding on the toot plant”; and he further states that “he seemed a fortunate farmer or runholder who had not lost more than 25 per cent, of his stock from toot-poisoning; while in some instances the losses were so high as 75 per cent.”

In following out the life-histories of some of the water-beetles I have been struck by the remarkable differences in habits and in structure between the members of a family, for instance, between Hydrophilus and Hydrobius, two fairly closely related genera of the Hydrophilidæ. The description of the life-history of Hydrophilus as given by Miger, Lyonnet, and others will, only to a small extent, apply to Hydrobius, although the suggestions which I am able to make with regard to certain facts in the life-history of the latter may throw light upon somewhat similar facts in the life-history of the former.

In the course of an endeavour, which was successful only after a number of years, to obtain specimens for the purpose of identifying the species of Strophanthus that produces the smooth seeds which had been chemically and pharmacologically investigated by one of us several years ago, the follicles, flowers and other parts of a number of different species of Strophanthus were obtained from Africa. Among them, S. sarmentosus was represented, and in the course of time a sufficient quantity of seeds of this plant was collected to allow an examination to be undertaken of their chemistry and pharmacology.