412 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



(ecological significance. The most sensitive olfactory organs are found 

 in two representatives of the Diplopoda, viz. Glomeris and Polyzonium. 



New Genera of Scutigeridse.* — F. Silvestri describes Scutigerides 

 g. n., and Scutigerina g. n., both allied to Scutigera, and each repre- 

 sented by a species from the Transvaal and Cape Colony respectively. 

 He also describes three new species of Paralamyctes from the same 



region. 



5. Arachnida. 



Structure of Heart and Origin of Blood-Cells in Spiders.| — 

 V. Franz states that the ring musculature of the spider's heart consists, 

 as in other Arthropods, of semicircular constituent parts, touching 

 each other at their ends above and below. It lies outside a delicate 

 layer of longitudinal fibres, upon which, in many forms, lie isolated 

 longitudinal fibres, and over these an adventitia. The wall of the heart 

 breaks up interiorly into blood-cells. An intima, such as was earlier 

 supposed to exist, is not present in spiders. 



Wing-like Lateral Organs of Solifugse.j: — R. Heymons make? a 

 careful study of these peculiar structures, discovered by Croneberg in 

 1887, and comes to the conclusion that they belong to the category of 

 embryonic lateral organs, arising from the embryonic lateral plates, as 

 in other types of Chelicerata. They have nothing to do with wings, 

 and instead of pointing to any affinity with insects, they corroborate 

 the Arachnoid character of the Solifusse. 



"■o* 



Spiders of the Sub-Family Erigoninse.§' — F. P. Smith proposes 

 a classification of the family Linyphiidae. He establishes two sub- 

 families, the Linyphiinge and the Erigoninge, and in an introductory 

 communication gives the distinctive characters of the latter division. 

 It contains three natural groups : (1) the Nercene, comprising a number 

 of genera with the sternum at least as broad as long, and the elevation 

 of the male caput, when present, so placed as to have practically no 

 effect upon the position of the eyes ; (2) the Diplocephali, with caput 

 elevation of male, such that position of eyes is affected ; (3) the 

 WalcJcenmra, with sternum considerably longer than broad, the cepbalo- 

 thorax somewhat elongate, and the tibia of the male palpus furnished 

 with prominent apophyses. 



e. Crustacea. 



Modification of Eye-Peduncles in Cymonomus.|| — E. Ray Lankester 

 has examined the material of the " Porcupine " collection of the genus 

 Cgmonomus, a species of which C. (Ethusa) granulata, has hitherto 

 been reputed to exhibit a series of types, from forms with well-developed 

 eyes and living at the surface, through others with eye-stalks but 

 apparently blind, from deeper water, to a third form not only blind 



* Redia, i. (1903) pp. 253-8. 



t Zool. Anzeig., xxvii. (1904) pp. 192-204. 



% SB. K. Preuss. Akad. Berlin (1904), pp. 282-94 (2 pis.). 



§ Journ. Queketf Micr. Club., 1904, pp. 9-20 (1 pi.). 



1 Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., xlvii. (1903) pp. 439-63 (2 pis.). 



