254 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



that a part of the fat of the adipose cells may be transformed into an 

 albuminoid substance. 



The relations subsisting between the appearance of the albuminoid 

 substances in the adipose cells and the formation of urates lead the 

 author to believe that, while among Lepidoptera and Coleoptera the 

 adipose cells themselves have the power of modifying nucleoproteids 

 into biuretic polypeptids and urates of soda, in some Hymenoptera the 

 function may be distributed between two distinct cellular elements : an 

 adipose cell which modifies the albuminoid substances, and. a cell closely 

 apposed to it which eliminates from it the urates resulting from this 

 modification. 



Structure of Necrobia ruficollis.* — N. Cholodkovsky describes the 

 structure of this minute insect, and calls attention to some histological 

 peculiarities. The epithelium of the chylific stomach is very low, and 

 forms a net of irregular polygonal meshes in which lie numerous crypts 

 with minute cells. The anal glands are also remarkable. They consist 

 of two epithelial layers ; the cells of the outer layer are small, with clear 

 protoplasm and a small nucleus, and are continued into a long chitinous 

 efferent duct, which is enveloped by a membrane-like efferent cell (whose 

 nucleus alone is distinct), and is continued between the large cells of the 

 inner epithelial layer. The cells of the latter are rich in sap and have 

 large vesicular nuclei. The lumen of the gland shows a chitinous 

 cuticle, which is perforated in sieve-like fashion by the ducts of the 

 above-mentioned small glands. 



Anoplura of Forth Area.f— W.Evans submits a list of theAnoplura 

 (true lice) found on Mammals in the Forth area, In the family Hsema- 

 topinidae there are four species of Polyplax, two of Hsematopinus, two 

 of Linognathus, and Hsemodipsus tyriocepJialus from the hare. The 

 interesting Linognathus ovillus (Neumann) occurs on the faces, cheeks, 

 and legs of black-faced sheep. The family Pediculidse is represented by 

 Pediculus capitis, P. vestimenti, and Phthirius inguinalis, all from man. 

 The family Echinophthiriidre is represented by Echinophlhirius phocse 

 (Lucas) from a common seal, which was so terribly infested with this 

 interesting species that forty-three w T ere taken from one square inch. 

 Its thick coating of stiff hairs no doubt serves to retain a supply of air 

 for respiration while its host is under water. 



Development of Male Copulatory Apparatus in Mealworm.:}: 

 Th. Kerschner finds in the newly-hatched larva of Tenebrio molitor an 

 invagination of the epithelium near the posterior margin of the twelfth 

 sternite. This is the genital pouch. At its blind end two club-shaped 

 structures appear, from which arise the vasa deferentia and accessory 

 glands. Before the last larval moult a pair of papillae develop at the 

 foot of the genital pouch. Between these the ductus ejaculatorius 

 develops and pushes the accessory glands in a proximal direction. In 



* Zool. Anzeig., xlii. (1913) pp. 529-31 (1 fig.). 



t Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc, xix. (1913) pp. 93-5 (1 fig.). 



* Zool. Jahrb., xxxvi. (1913) pp. 337-76 (4 pis. and 11 figs.). 



