o 



2 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Hereditary Ataxia in Pigeons.— Oscar Riddle {Proc. Soc. Exper, 

 Biol, and Med., 1917, 15, 56-S). From an egg produced under the 

 weakening influence of " reproductive overwork " a female pigeon was 

 hatched (in 1914) which showed a marked lack of power over the 

 voluntary movements of the head and body, though this practically 

 disappeared in the adult. The affected female was bred to two different 

 males, and the derangement has been seen through four generations 

 descended from either male. Tlie character appears to be, with some 

 irregularities, a Mendelian recessive. Of 175 young reared to the age 

 at which the disorder might be exhibited, 119 were classed as normal 

 and 46 as affected. J. A. T. 



Analysis of Ataxic Brains of Pigeons. — Mathilda L. Koch and 

 OscAE Riddle {Amer. Joimi. Physiol., 11)18, 47, 124-36). The 

 brains of the pigeons referred to above as " ataxic," when compared 

 with those of normal birds of the same parentage, show increased values 

 for moisture, protein and extractive sulphur ; decreased values for 

 lipoids, phosphatides and cholesterol. The results of the analyses are 

 interpreted as suggesting a chemical under-difiFerentiation or immaturity 

 of the disordered brains. " The disorder is exhibited in all degrees and 

 has been inherited undiminished to the fifth generation." J. A. T. 



Tumours in Climbing Perch. — T. Southwell and B. Peashai> 

 {Records Indian Museum, 1919, 15, 841-4, 1 pi.). In artificial con- 

 ditions specimens of Anahas scandens may show colloid carcinomas over 

 the surface of the body. They consist of tissue of a thyroid nature, and 

 are rounded structures with a smooth surface. It is impossible to say 

 whether they are directly developed from cells of the thyroid gland or 

 not. A specific organism is suspected, but as yet none has been 

 isolated. J. A. T. 



c. General. 



Deep-water Fauna of Lake Neuchatel. — A. Monard (Revue Suisse 

 Zool, 1918, 26, 341-59, 21 figs.). A survey begun in 1916 has already 

 yielded 350 species. Some are quite new, such as a Halacarid genus, 

 Soldanellonyx (with two species), three new species of Nematodes, a 

 Bdelloid Rotifer, a Cladoceran, and so on — seventeen new species 

 altogether. Monard reports on Epistylis violacea sp.n. (on the head of 

 Chironomid larvae), Cothurniopsis canthocampti sp. u. (borne by Gantho- 

 camptus), a Rotifer {CalUdina proyonidea sp.n.), a Daphnid (Peracantha 

 fuhrmanni sp. n.), and a new variety of Canthocamptus sfaphylimis. The 

 deep-water fauna is turning out unexpectedly rich. J. A. T. 



Fauna of Eichener Lake. — R. T. Muller (Rev. Suisse Zool, 1918, 

 26, 361-408, 3 figs.). An account is given of the environmental 

 conditions in this lake and of its fauna. The list includes about tliirty 

 Rhizopods, the interesting Helizoon Raphidiophrys intermedia Pen, about 

 nineCiliata, fifteen Rotifers, three Nematodes, three Chfetopods, Pluma- 

 iella reptans, three species of Macroliotus, about a dozen insects, one 

 Phyllopod (the interesting Tanymastix lacunae Guerin), two Ostracods, 



