38 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Glans Penis in Rodents.* — E. Retterer and H. Neuville find that 

 there is considerable diversity in the detailed structure of the glans 

 penis in rodents. They describe that of squirrel, marmot, hamster, and 

 jerboa. The os penis in the latter is very remarkable. Its anterior 

 end is flattened, posteriorly it becomes triangular, and the edges of the 

 triangle are elongated into branches. The surface of the glans in the 

 jerboa is covered with papilla? which bear secondary papillae and towards 

 the apex there are two horny " odontoid " points. The os penis of the 

 hamster is trifurcate. The terminations of the penial nerves end on 

 the odontoids and this doubtless secures multiplication of sensations. 



Penis of Bats.f — E. Retterer and H. Neuville have studied the 

 structure of the penis in Vesperugo pipistrellus, Rhinolophus ferrum 

 equinum, and Pteropus medius. They find that the glans is covered by 

 a stratified pavement epithelium, without a stratum corneum ; it is 

 surrounded by a prepuce externally covered with hairs. The penis is 

 characterized by the strong development of erectile tissue both in the 

 corpus cavernosum and in the glans. In the horseshoe bat and in the 

 fox bat the os penis is confined to the glans ; in the pipistrelle it extends 

 far back behind the base of the glans. 



c. General. 



Effect of Rbntgen Rays on Organs of Chicken.! — Hans Unzeitig 

 finds that chickens can stand about two hours' exposure to a given 

 intensity of Rontgen rays. For a few days following there is a marked 

 reduction of body weight. Feathers often fall off. The bursa fabricii 

 becomes smaller and lighter, and in one case almost disappeared. The 

 lymphocytes of the cortical substance are destroyed in large numbers ; 

 the number of follicles is reduced ; after the fifth day or so regenerative 

 processes often set. in. The testes are Very susceptible : there is marked 

 loss of weight and great destruction of sperm-cells. The interstitial 

 cells do not seem to be affected. The spleen loses greatly in weight and 

 there is a marked reduction of lymphocytes. 



" Lymphatic System " ;in Fishes.§— B. Mozejko finds that fishes 

 have no lymphatic system in the strict sense. Certain veins take on 

 lymphatic function and become more or less sinusoid. A true lym- 

 phatic system occurs first in Amphibians. The so-called "lymphatic 

 system " in fishes represents a stage in evolution, and may be called 

 " veno-lymphatic." 



Remarkable Cyprinodont.|| — C. Tate Regan describes Phallostethus 

 dunck&ri g. et sp. n., a remarkable new Cyprinodont from Johore. The 

 largest male was 25 mm. in length, the largest female 29 mm. The 

 male has a relatively large muscular appendage (the " priapium") attached 

 between the expanded hypocoracoids and free distally, bearing the anus 



* C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxxv. (1913) pp. 345-7. 



t C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxxv. (1913) pp. 381-3. 



X Arch. Mikr. Anat., lxxxii. (1913) l*e Abt., pp. 380-407 (1 pi. and 2 figs.). 



§ Anat. Anzeig., xlv. (1913) pp. 102-4. 



Ann. Nat. Hist., xii. (1913) pp. 548-55 (2 figs.). 



