264 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



genus of Branchiostoma, and calls Dolichorhy iichus hidicus g. et sp. n. 

 It is remarkable for the great length of the preoral lobe, which is as 

 long as the first six myotonies. IS' one of the specimens were sexually 

 mature. 



Hibernation of Dormouse.* — Hector Kulot bas reached the following 

 conclusions : — (1) the proportion of water in the body of the hibernat- 

 ing dormouse increases from November to April, but there is abso- 

 lute diminution especially towards tbe beginning of the sleep ; (2) the 

 fat diminishes absolutely and relatively, with especial rapidity in tbe 

 later mon tli s ; (3) tbe glycogen also decreases, but tbe total amount is 

 so small tbat it cannot be regarded as an important reserve; (4) the 

 proteid-consumption is slight in tbe early months, but great in tbe later 

 months ; (5) as the quantity of carbon-combustion increases from 

 November to April, it may be inferred that the sleep is deepest at 

 tbe beginning. 



Persistent Thymus.| — Dr. Eugen Fischer describes a case of per- 

 sistent thymus in a well-nourished man of tbirty years of age. It con- 

 sisted of large right and left lobes, the left the larger, and showed 

 microscopically the ordinary structure of the child's thymus, the cha- 

 racteristic thymus corpuscles being present. The organs of tbe body 

 -were all healthy, and showed no trace of pathological change. 



Ciliary Ganglion.;}; — Prof. A. Onodi has sought for this ganglion 

 in a large number of Selachians, and has been able to find it only in 

 Mustelus Isevis, Galeus vulgaris, and Carcharias glaucus. He is of opinion 

 that it is to be regarded as a peripheral sympathetic ganglion, and not 

 as a spinal ganglion. In Galeus the ciliary ganglion gives off three 

 nerve-trunks which form a fine network over the great vessel. This the 

 author regards as of great importance, for he believes that ganglion 

 and vascular network constitute the first visible trace of the cephalic 

 sympathetic in Selachians, and therefore in Vertebrates. 



Theories of the Origin of Antarctic Faunas and Floras.§ — Prof. 

 A. E. Ortmann makes a table of all the theories advanced : — 



I. Theories assuming a land connection between the respective parts. 

 This general idea was first expressed by Hooker (1817) and has been 

 accepted by all subsequent writers except Wallace. 



1. The land bridge is placed across the present Antarctic con- 



tinent, first by Eutimeyer (1867) and by Hutton (1873). 

 It was accepted by Von Ihering, Forbes, Hedley, Osborn. 



(a) Forbes constructs bis immense Antarctica (1893). 



(b) Hedley restricts it to reasonable limits (1895). 



(c) Osborn takes an intermediate standpoint (1900). 



2. Gill constructs his Eogaea, a continent uniting Africa, South 



America, and Australia, but leaving out the Antarctica 

 (1875). 



3. Hutton connects Australia and South America by his mid- 



Pacific continent, but denies the existence of an Antarctic 

 connection (1884). 



* Bull. Acad. Belg. CI. Sci., 1901, pp. 17-30. 



t Anat, Anaeig., xix. (1901) pp. 113-15 (1 fig.). J Tom. cit., pp. 118-24. 



§ Amer. Nat., xxxv. (1901) pp. 189-42. 



