ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 467 



species and variety, the source of the original description, and the distri- 

 bution in the British Isles. In all, thirty-sis species and thirty-five 

 varieties are listed. 



Annulata. 



New Polychsets from Santander.* — Enrique Rioja describes Glymene 

 santanderensis sp. n., giving details as to the cephalic plate, the para- 

 podia and the setae ; Liimhridi/mene minor Arwidsson ; and Phyllo- 

 chsetopterus soUtarms sp. n., which approaches in several respects P. 

 daparedii M'Intosh. 



Experiments on Earthworms.f — P. J. Schmidt and F. V. Stchepkina 

 find that earthworms (Allolobophora) contain on an average 82 "8 p.c. of 

 water ; that they can withstand exposure to a temperature of 0° C. ; that 

 the fatal temperature is between - 1*2° and - 2° C. ; that they can 

 lose 40 p.c. of their water without fatal consequences ; and that partially 

 desiccated specimens perished below - 1"2°C. 



Netnatohelminthes. 



Life-history of Maupasina weissi.J — L. G. Seurat has studied 

 this Heterakid Nematode from the caecum of Elephantulus desertii, a 

 Macroscelid. The various stages in the development of the Qgg are 

 noted. Out of the egg there emerges a larva, 4U0 //. in length, with a 

 very distinct lateral membrane and two very refractive oesophageal glands. 

 Before being hatched it shows a perforating needle on the upper lip. 



The second stage, 2 ' 7-8 ■ 4 mm. in length, shows two pairs of large 

 cephalic papillse, an excretory pore in front of the oesophageal bulb, two 

 lateral caudal pores and a terminal caudal gland, two lateral cuticular 

 ala3, a very short buccal cavity with three semicircular teeth, and an 

 elongated oesophagus. This larval stage is found encysted in the c«cum. 



After a moult a third stage is reached ; they have a different shape of 

 tail, no lateral alae, a deep buccal cavity, and markedly developed gonads. 

 The fourth larval stage shows a blood colour ; the cuticle has two pairs 

 of cephalic and two post-cervical lateral papillae. A final moult leads to 

 the adult phase, the female measuring 8*5-25 mm., the male 5-16 mm. 



Affinities of Maupasina.§ — L. G. Seurat discusses the affinities of a 

 Heterakid Nematode, Maupasina weissi Seurat, which he described in 

 1913 from the csecum of Ekphantulus deserti. The female is remarkable 



* Bull. Soc. Espafi. Nat. Hist., xvii. (1917) pp. 221-8 (3 figs.). 



t C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, Ixxx. (1917) pp. 366-8. 



X Comptes Eendus, clxi. (1917) pp. 1017-19. 



§ C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, Ixxx. (1917) pp. 350-4 (2 figs.). 



2 I 2 



