1899] ZOOLOGICAL NOTES FROM JAPAN 101 



star-fish Asterina gibbosa the various divisions of the adult body-cavity 

 are derived from portions of the larval body-cavity, different to some 

 extent from those portions that give rise to them in Asterias pallida. 

 In so far as this is proved, we might infer that the development of the 

 species in question cannot be utilised in constructing a morphology for 

 the Asteroidea as a class. Professor Goto incidentally corrects certain 

 observations and conclusions by E. W. MacBride. Unfortunately the 

 paper still lacks complete illustration and proof from sections. This 

 we are promised in a paper to be published in the Journal of the 

 College of Science, Tokyo. In the third paper Professor Isao Ijima 

 describes Amoeba miurai, a new Bhizopod parasite of man. 



Nucleus and Cytoplasm. 



In a paper read at the December meeting of the Eoyal Physical Society, 

 Edinburgh, Miss L. H. Huie supplemented her previous observations 

 (Quart. Jour. Micr. Sci. 1897, xxxix. pp. 387-425, 2 pis.) on the 

 changes in the tentacles of the sun-dew produced by feeding. She 

 finds that substances applied to the tentacles of Drosera affect either 

 the cytoplasm alone, or both cytoplasm and nucleus. The cytoplasm 

 reacts to physical irritation, and also to chemical substances which serve 

 as foods. The nucleus is only affected by substances acting as food, the 

 rate and amount of changes in the nuclein depending on the facility 

 with which the food is absorbed. This agrees with Dr. Gustav Mann's 

 view that the cytoplasm should be regarded as a specific environment 

 secreted by the nucleus of each cell for the purpose of selecting and 

 modifying potential food-stuffs which come into contact with it, and 

 within physiological limits protecting the nucleus against detrimental 

 conditions. 



The Natural History of the Congo. 



Naturalists will learn with great interest that the Government of 

 the Congo Free State has arranged to investigate the botany, zoology, 

 anthropology, ethnology, and geology of the vast region of Africa under 

 its jurisdiction, and proposes to issue a series of exhaustive monographs 

 detailing the results. The series is to bear the general title, Annales 

 du Mush du Congo, the nucleus of the Museum being the collection 

 displayed at the Antwerp exhibition in 1894. E. de Wildeman 

 and Th. Durand, of the Botanical Garden of Brussels, are occupied 

 with the study of the flora. The zoologists who have already begun 

 the task are G. A. Boulenger, Ph. Dautzenberg, Alph. Dubois, Seel- 

 drayers, and Vincent. Anthropology is entrusted to Dr. Victor Jacques 

 and Professor Stainier ; while ethnology will be undertaken by 

 Th. Masui, director of the whole work. The geology will be investi- 



