226 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



coelom ; there are outgrowths from the posterior coelom to form the 

 preoral coelom in all the interradii ; closure of the hydrocoele-ring takes 

 place in interradius viii-ix ; the mouth-angle plates and interior pro- 

 cesses of the first ambulacrals arise as single continuous calcifications. 

 The early development of Stichaster roseus resembles that of Asterias 

 ruhens, and it is inferred as almost certain that the final larval form 

 will prove to be a brachiolaria attaching itself at metamorphosis. 



Early Development of Cucumaria.* — H. G. Newth finds that the 

 larval life of this Holothurian is very short as compared with that of 

 the Auricularia. It takes place at the expense of the yolk, and is 

 complete in about five days. Formation of the coelomic vesicles occurs 

 by the bending and constriction of the archenteron. No separate 

 anterior coelom appears. The hydroccel ring closes in the left dorsal 

 interradius, and the radial canals and five primary oral tentacles arise 

 directly from it, alternating with one another. The internal madreporite 

 arises as a secondary differentiation of the walls of the stone-canal. 



Action of Oxazine on Germ-cells of Sea-urchin.f — M. Herlant 

 recalls the observations of Werbitzki, Laveran, and Eoudsky that 

 oxazine (chloride of triaminophenaroxonium) destroys the centrosome 

 of Trypanosomes without altering their vitality. The power of moving 

 and dividing persists, and the modification is transmitted. Herlant has 

 tried the effect of oxazine on ova and spermatozoa of Faracentrotus 

 lividus ; a few drops (1-25) of a solution of one part of oxazine to a 

 thousand of distilled water were added to the sea-water (25 c.c.) 

 containing the germ-cells. The development of larvae from eggs 

 fertilized with poisoned spermatozoa is sometimes abnormal, but the 

 effect on the spermatozoa seems curiously individual. The stronger 

 doses of oxazine proved fatal. There was no evidence of an elective or 

 destructive action on the sperm-centrosome. A dose of 4-5 drops 

 proved favourable to ripe Qgg, preserving them from cytolysis and 

 prolonging their life. The fertihzed ova seemed to be unaffected. 



Ccelentera. 



Genus Kirchenpaueria.| — M. Bedot has made a study of the 

 definition of this genus. It is distinguished from Plumularia as 

 follows : it has not, on the hydrocladus, nematophores disposed in 

 pairs ; below and behind the hydrothecag there is a nematophore not 

 surrounded by a nematotheca; the nematophore in front of the 

 hydrotheca is surrounded by a monothalamic nematotheca, fixed by a 

 broad base and immobile ; the gonotheca are attached along the stem. 

 The genus is represented by K. pinnata, and the other species which 

 Bale referred to it may be ranked at present in the genus Diplocheilus, 

 which is marked by close, not crowded, hydrotheca?, by the absence of 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1916, pp. 631-41 (2 pis. and 1 fig.). 

 t Arch. Zool. Exp6r., Iv. (1916) Notes et Eevue, No. 3, pp. 48-52. 

 X Rev. Suisse Zool., xxiv. (1916) pp. 637-48. 



