SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES 



RELATING TO 



ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY 



(PRINCIPALLY INVERTEBRATA AND CRYPTOGAMIA), 



MICROSCOPY, Etc.* 



ZOOLOGY. 



VERTEBRATA. 



a. Embryologry.t 



Correlation of Ovarian and Uterine Functions.} — E. S. Carrnichael 

 and F. H. A. Marshall find that the removal of the ovaries of young 

 animals (rodents) prevents the development of the uterus and Fallopian 

 tubes, which remain in an infantile condition. The subsequent growth 

 and general nutrition of the animals seem to be unaffected. The removal 

 of the ovaries in adult rodents leads to fibrous degeneration of the uterus 

 and Fallopian tubes (most marked in the mucous membrane). Tbe 

 animals' subsequent health and nutrition remain good. These observa- 

 tions for the most part support the evidence obtained clinically in the 

 human subject after surgical operation. 



The removal of the uterus in a young animal has no influence in 

 preventing the further development of the ovaries, which are capable of 

 ovulating and forming corpora lutea after adult life has been reached. 

 The removal of the uterus in an adult animal does not give rise to any 

 degenerative change in the ovaries, if the vascular connections of the 

 latter remain intact. These latter observations do not support the con- 

 tentions of those surgeons who advocate sub-total hysterectomy, believing 

 that the functional activity of the ovary is in some way dependent on 

 the presence of the uterus. 



Early Placenta in Macacus nemestrinus.§ — W. L. H. Duckworth 

 finds that the decidual formation in this case is that known as decidua 



* The Society are not intended to be denoted by the editorial " we," and they 

 do not hold themselves responsible for the views of the authors of the papers 

 noted, nor for any claim to novelty or otherwise made by them. The object of 

 this part of the Journal is to present a summary of the papers as actually pub- 

 lished, and to describe and illustrate Instruments, Apparatus, etc., which are 

 either new or have not been previously described in this country. 



f This section includes not only papers relating to Embryology properly so 

 called, but also those dealing with Evolution, Development, Reproduction, and 

 allied subjects. 



\ Proc. Roy. Soc. London, Series B, lxxix. (1907) pp. 387-94. 



§ Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc, xiv. (1907) pp. 299-312 (8 pis.). 



