V>06 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



of higher organisms. It is in this respect a prototype of what occurs 

 in Metazoa. 



Foraminifera of Raised Reefs of Fiji.* — R. L. Sherlock has 

 studied the composition of the raised limestone terraces, and finds that 

 they consist chiefly of Algse and Foraminifera. Although a few of the 

 rock-sections are composed of coral, and corals are present in some 

 others, yet in the majority they are absent. The organisms found com- 

 prise fifteen certain and seven doubtful genera of Foraminifera (includ- 

 ing the genus Orbitoides, which indicates Tertiary age), besides algse, 

 corals, echinoderms, molluscs, Tunicata, Polyzoa, and an occasional 

 annelid. 



Adaptability of Marine Infusorians to Fresh Water.f — P. Enriques 

 reports on a number of experiments which show great diversity in this 

 adaptability. Thus Euplotes chevron and Chilodon cucullulus, which 

 occur in both salt and fresh water, survive the change from the former 

 to the latter, but Euplotes harpa, which is wholly marine, does not. As 

 the two species of Euplotes do not differ in osmotic properties or in 

 permeability, the reason of the difference in their surviving power when 

 changed from salt to fresh water must depend on peculiarities of chemical 

 metabolism. 



Fossil Infusorians. :}: — B. Renault describes from the Eocene lignites 

 of l'Herault what seem to be fossil Infusorians. They occur in the 

 pollen-chambers of Stephanospermum, and belong to the family Keroninre, 

 forms without cuirass. The absence of styles and comicules points to 

 affinity with the genus Cinetoconia Ren. Some evidence is given sug- 

 gesting that they attacked and fed upon the pollen-grains. 



Flagellate Parasites in Siphonophora.i — Fr. Poche describes from 

 the internal cavities of Cucubalvs kochii, Halistemma tergestinum, Mono- 

 plnjes gracilis, &c. two Flagellate parasites : — Trypanosoma grobbeni 

 sp. n. and Oxyrrhis parasitica sp. n. A detailed account is given of 

 both. 



Structure of Trepomonas agilis Dujardin.|| — P. A. Dangeard finds 

 that this much-studied Flagellate Infusorian has a twin structure. It 

 is a double-cell, a peculiarity seen also in the allied genera of the family 

 Distomatinese. He compares the organism to the Siamese-twins, but 

 the duplication is normal and hereditary. He proposes the general 

 term " Diplozoid" and the systematic name Diplomonadinea3, to cover 

 tin's and similar cases. 



In Trepomonas the duplication may be primitive, or it may be due 

 to an incomplete fusion of two individuals. In any case the duplication 

 is transmitted to the progeny. A comparison with Amaba binucUaia 

 is suggested. In other Diplozoids the duplication may be effected afresh 

 in each generation. 



[If the duplication be strictly heritable, it surely cannot be due to 



* Bull. Mub. Zool Harvard, xxxviii. (1903) pp. 349-65 (13 figs.). 



t Atti R. Accad. Lincei (Rend.), xii. (1903) pp. 82-8. 



X Compter Rendu*, exxxv. (1902) pp. 10(54-6 (3 tigs.). 



§ Arbeit. Zool. Inst. Univ. Wien, xiv. (1903) pp. 307-58 (1 pi ). 



|| Comptes Rendus, exxxv. (1902) pp. 1366-7. 



