ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 185 



body -segments of Alciopidae, are really receptacula seminis occurring only 

 in the females, and formed by hypertrophied dorsal cirri. 



Xerophilous Enchytrseidae of Switzerland.* — K. Bretscher discusses 

 the distribution of those Enchytraeidae which frequent damp earth occa- 

 sionally covered by casual water. Their number is surprisingly large, for 

 he deals with fifty species, largely of his own definition, representing 

 seven genera, Henlea, Buchholzia, Bryodrilm, Mesmchyirmus, Enchy- 

 tnrus,Fredericia (12 species), and Achceta. 



Digestive Apparatus of Aulastoma.j — C. Spiess has investigated 

 the histology of the alimentary tract in Aulastoma gulo. There is no 

 reservoir, as in Hirudo ; there is highly developed epithelial differentiation, 

 whereby a buccal" cavity, oesophagus, stomach, and intestine are severally 

 distinguishable. The wall throughout the whole length consists of a 

 connective and epithelial layer, corresponding to the mucous coat of the 

 vertebrate digestive tract. The oesophagus does not, as in Hirudo, 

 assist in digestion, but the intestinal epithelium possesses glands which 

 secrete digestive ferments. They are unicellular, and are intermediate 

 between glandular epithelial cells and the pluricellular glands of the 

 intestine of the higher vertebrates. A true stomach, histologically dif- 

 ferent from the other parts of the tract, is present. Details of its glands 

 are also given in the paper. 



Metamerism of Hirudinea.J — N. Livanow discusses the difficult 

 problem of the somites (neurosomites and myosomites) of Hirudinea. 



Nematohelniintb.es. 



Acanthocephala of Birds.§ — L. de Marval has revised the list of 

 described forms of Acanthocephala occurring in birds, with the result 

 that the number of species is considerably reduced. Brief diagnostic 

 descriptions of the species with their synonyms are given, and from 

 these diagnoses all references to the hosts are intentionally omitted. 



Oxyuris Vermicularis in Peritoneal Cavity.|| — P. Schneider gives 

 an account of a cyst from the peritoneal cavity of a woman 30 years 

 of age. It contained the remains of a mature female Oxyuris vermi- 

 cularis, with ova. The author discusses the question of its migration 

 thither. 



Blood-Coagulating Substance in Anchylostoma.1i — L. Loeb and 

 A. J. Smith have shown experimentally that in the anterior half of the 

 body of A. caninum a substance is present which strongly hinders the 

 flow of blood, and whose effect is similar to that of Hirudo in vitro. 

 The substance is not altogether destroyed by boiling. They failed to 

 prove any hemolytic action on the part of extracts of these animals, but 

 consider that the coagulating effect has some bearing upon the anasmia 

 frequently observed in Anchylostoma infection. 



* Biol. Centralbl., xxiv. (1904) pp. 501-13. 

 t Revue Suisse Zool., xii. (1904) pp. 585-647 (2 pis.). 

 J Zool. Jahrk, xix. (1903) pp. 29-90 (5 pis.). 

 § Revue Suisse Zool., xii. (1904) pp. 573-s:;. 

 || Centralbl. Bakt. Parasitenk., xxxvi. (1904) pp. 550-4. 

 T Op. cit., xxxvii. (1904) pp. 93-8. 



April 19th,' 1905 o 



