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and possessing two nuclei, but showing no signs of division, and others, again, which present at one end a small bud, the size of which increases until it equals that of the mother-cell, when one of the nuclei passes into the daughter-cell, and as the division between the two cells becomes more distinct, the appearance described by M. Gerbe is produced. M. van Beneden could could not, however, detect any cell-membrane.

The development of the ovule then goes on much as described by M. Gerbe, one of the daughter-cells being enlarged much more rapidly than the other, and acquiring a vitelline character. When it has attained a diameter of 0.015–0.018 millimetre, a cell-membrane (vitelline membrane) may be detected, which, however, only covers the larger cell. With these ova others are found in which the smaller or polar cell is no longer to be distinguished, but which present at one point a depression representing the surface to which it was attached; the ova when deposited never present the least trace of the polar-cell; but after oviposition the ovaries contain numerous cells, resembling the original mother-cells, which are really the polar-cells thrown off from the mature ova. These, M. van Beneden believes, become the mother-cells of a new set of ovules. He supports this opinion by several instances derived from Crustacea of other groups, such as Caligus, Calvella, Lernanthropus, Congericola, Anchorella, Lernaeopoda, &c., in which analogous phenomena occur.

M. van Beneden remarks, that in the ova of Sacculina segmentation of the whole contents of the ovum takes place, and he describes the process. This, as he says, excludes the idea of a cicatricula, which occurs only where a great part of the nutritive material exists outside the protoplasm of the ovicell, as in birds. Hence there can be no comparison between the egg of the Sacculinae and that of birds, nor has it any special analogy to that of the Arachnida and Myriopoda.

Ethnological Society, December 21.—Prof Huxley, LL.D., F.R.S., president, in the chair. An ancient calvaria, which has been assigned to Confucius, was exhibited and described by Prof. Busk, F.R.S. This calvaria was formerly set in gold, richly ornamented, and mounted on a tripod, probably for use as a drinking vessel. It was taken from the Emperor of China's Summer Palace at Peking. The author has discovered four figures upon the skull in faint relief; that upon the frontal portion being the letter A in a Tibetan form of Sanskrit, referable to about the seventh or eighth century of our era. The skull was evidently that of a male advanced in age, but all the evidence tended to show that it ought not to be attributed to Confucius. The President suggested that those portions of the skull which now appear sculptured in relief might have been originally covered with some solid material which would have served as a protection, while the surrounding surface was worn down by constant handling. The Australians still use calvariae, ornamented in a like manner. Mr. Fergusson alluded to the character of the workmanship displayed by the ornamentation, which had been barbarously removed. He regarded the skull as that of a distinguished personage—either a friend or a foe of some Chinese emperor; and thought that its use as a drinking-cup was supported by a passage in "Herodotus." Mr. Mummery, the present owner of the calvaria, explained the curious manner in which it came into his possession. Dr. Campbell referred to the Buddhist practice of using human thigh-bones as trumpets for calling to prayers. Mr. Donovan regarded the skull, from its small size, as belonging to an uneducated female.—At the same meeting Major Millingen, F.R.G.S., read a long paper on the "Koords and Armenians," in which he gave his reasons for identifying the modem Koords with the ancient Karduks mentioned by Xenophon. The language spoken in Koordistan is entirely different from either Persian or Turkish, and said to be divided into several dialects. The Koords were described as a rapacious and faithless people, rejoicing in plunder and slaughter; and not the least interesting part of the paper was the description of a peculiar system of female brigandage. The Koordish race were said to be remarkably handsome, and to exhibit a great variety of complexion; a dark skin, with black hair and black eyes, is the most common, but light hair and blue eyes are also to be seen.

Statistical Society, December 21.—Mr. Newmarch, F.R.S., president, in the chair. A Report on the Seventh International Statistical Congress at the Hague was read by Mr. Brown, after which Mr. R. H. Inglis Palgrave read a paper "On the House Accommodation of England and Wales." Mr. Palgrave commenced by stating that the population of England is now probably better housed than at the commencement of the century. The average number of inhabitants to a house has slightly diminished since 1801. Mr. Palgrave continued to point out that, covered by a general average, which appeared to show ample accommodation, were great inequalities. The information obtained in the English census inquiries scarcely gives the means of tracing the subject further; but the last census in Scotland showed that one-third of the population lived each family in dwellings of only one room; another third in dwellings of two rooms only; the remaining third being lodged with comfort and decency. Mr. Palgrave showed by an analysis of Mr. Dudley Baxter's calculations, that the lowest section of the population in England was nearly twice as closely packed as the general average, in dwellings more than proportionately inferior; and by a reference to the Report on the Employment of Children and Women in Agriculture, that the condition of some rural districts apparently well provided for was scarcely superior to that of Scotland. Mr. Palgrave concluded by proposing that the census inquiry for 1871 should include more details on the house accommodation of England, Wales, and Scotland, thus to ascertain present deficiencies, and to assist those who desire to remedy the evils arising therefrom. The following gentlemen were elected Fellows, viz.: Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.P., Hon. H. N. D. Beyts, Dr. Macaulay, Messrs. J. O. Chadwick, A. H. Smee, C. Inglis, M.D., Hammond Chubb, S. Ingall, and James M. Davies.

Institute of Actuaries, December 21.—Mr. S. Brown, president, in the chair. The following gentlemen were elected members, viz.:—Fellows, Messrs. Cornelius Walford and Joseph J. Dymond; and Associates, Messrs. A. C. Waters, Ainslie, Talon, E. J. Sims, jun., Henry Jeula, James D. Hobson, J. Ashton, J. H. Elder, and Joseph Burne. Mr. J. B. Sprague, M.A., read a paper "On the rate of mortality prevailing among assured lives, as influenced by the length of time for which they have been assured."

Royal Society of Edinburgh, December 20.—Professor Kelland, president, in the chair. The Keith Prize for the biennial period ending May 1869 having been awarded by the Council to Professor P. G. Tait, for his paper "On the Rotation of a Rigid Body about a Fixed Point," the medal was formally delivered to him, after which Professor Kelland, in making the presentation, said he had great pleasure in accompanying it with the sum of £57 0s. 10d. He briefly referred to the manner in which Professor Tait was applying the method of quaternions, and mentioned that he was now putting on a more solid basis what they might call the mechanical sciences. On every account Professor Tait was entitled to the honour which had been conferred upon him, and he had no hesitation in saying that this was only the first of a series of successes.—Mr. Archd. Geikie read a paper "On the Geological Structure of some Alpine Lake Basins." In this paper the author reviewed the arguments which had been adduced by the geologists of Switzerland to prove that the great lakes of that country are essential parts of the architecture of the Alps. He stated that this view was untenable, for the lakes, instead of coinciding with the foldings and fractures of the rocks, ran directly across them. He entered in some detail into the geological structure of several of the Alpine lakes, particularly of the Lake of the Four Cantons, with the view of showing that between the contortions and dislocations of the rocks and the trend of the lake there is no ascertained connection. By a series of diagrams he pointed out how vast an amount of rock had been removed from the site of the lake and the adjacent mountains, and that it was physically impossible that any remnant of the original surface at the time when the rocks were folded could now remain. Particular attention was called to the fact that the greatest of the known dislocations of the Alps—the fracture which has brought down the miocene against the older tertiary and secondary rocks—has not given rise to lakes and valleys, but actually crosses them, as at the lakes of Geneva, Thun, and Lucerne, and in the valleys of the Rhine and Linth. After combating the explanation by which the lakes are referred to