04 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



which have been examined ; their abundance varies with the species. Ira 

 the first place it is noted that they present all the cytological characters of 

 glandular elements, — the structure of the nucleus, the presence in the 

 cytoplasm of numerous secretion products (granules and vesicles, fat, pig- 

 ment, and crystalloids), and the existence of a cycle of secretion. These 

 cells possess a relative independence — ontogenetic, structural and func- 

 tional — manifesting itself (1) in young testicles, where they are welL 

 developed, while the seminal organ has embryonic characters ; (2) in. 

 adults, where numerous interstitial cells occur far from the seminiferous 

 tubules, in the albuginea, bodies of Highmore, trabecule, where their 

 situation is distinctly perivascular ; (3) in old testicles, where they are 

 entire while the sexual elements are degenerate, or have disappeared ; 

 (4) in various pathological conditions of the testis, in which the inter- 

 stitial tissue persists and presents the usual cytological manifestations. 



The independence of the two tissues, which the foregoing illustrates, 

 suggests the- function of an internal secretion. The investigators con- 

 sider the interstitial gland an organ which probably elaborates nutritive 

 material for the testis proper, and by its internal secretion controls genital 

 ardour and the determination of the secondary sexual characters. This 

 is an important paper with a bearing on the general question of ductless, 

 glands, as well as on the various functions of the testis. 



Ova and Larvse of Fishes.* — F. B. Browne gives a very interesting 

 report on the eggs and larva? of Teleostean fishes observed at Plymouth.. 

 His paper contains a large number of interesting data with regard to 

 ( 'allionymus, Zeugoptcrus, Phrgnorhombus, Gadus, and Motella. 



l\ Histology. 



Histology of Hyaline Cartilage.! — Kichard Fibich has examined the 

 cartilage of a five-month human embryo, and finds that the cells have 

 prolongations at both poles. These prolongations, which sometimes 

 branch and connect with those of other cells, are protoplasmic continua- 

 tions of the cell, and are most numerous at a distance from the vessels. 

 Near the vessels the cells are isolated in a hyaline substance. He con- 

 siders that this latter arrangement is possibly related to the transference 

 of the nutritive fluid from the vessels to the tissue, since just before 

 ossification the stream is stronger. In the neighbourhood of the vessels. 

 the passage is through the matrical substance, and presumably rapid ; 

 further off it is only from cell to cell. 



Xerothermic Localities.* — Von Schulthess-Schindler discusses the 

 occurrence of these " dry-warm " areas, with remains of a steppe-like 

 flora, which persist here and there as sunny islands, with a relict fauna not. 

 found in the adjacent areas. The area studied was the Domlesehg — a 

 valley between the Statzerhorn range and the Heinzerberg. The insect 

 fauna is discussed in detail. 



Human LocomotionJ — Otto Fischer discusses the kinematics of the 

 swinging movements of the legs in walking. This is the fifth memoir 



* Jouiu. Marine Biol. Assoc, vi. (1903) pp. 59S-G1G. 



t Anat. Anzei;,'., xxiv. (1903) pp. 209-14. 



X MT. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges., xi. (1903) pp. 2G-40. 



§ Abb. K. Siicbs. Gcs. Wiss., No. 5 (1903) pp. 321-418 (4 tabular pU). 



