ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 681 



described. In the assumption of complexly branched shapes, P. caroli- 

 nensis differs from P. palustris iGreef and P. villosa Leidy ; the posterior 

 " villi " of the latter are absent from P. carolinensis, nor is there 

 gorging with mud or occurrence of Stabchen (symbiotic bacteria?). 

 Minute crystals, however, were abundant. But the author attaches no 

 importance to the cytoplasmic inclusions, which seem to be inconstant, 

 and doubts whether there is, after all, more than one species. 



Monograph on Acinetaria. * — Bene Sand divides the " Tenta- 

 eulifera " into six groups : — (1) DendrocometinaB, (2) Dendrosominse, and 

 Ophryodendrinae, (3) Hypocominae and UrnulinaB, (4) Podophryinse, 

 (5) Metacinetinae, (6) Acinetae and Ephelotinae. He sketches a possible 

 phylogeny, starting from a Heliozoon like Acanthocystis. After some 

 notes on movements, variations, distribution, the author goes on to 

 mention the Infusorians on which the Acinetaria prey, and the enemies 

 (amphipods, a hypotrichous ciliate, fungi, &c.) which prey upon them. 



Sand has studied 44 species, of which 16 are new. Among his con- 

 clusions we may note : — that the animals are enveloped in a delicate 

 chitinoid pellicle, which also forms the stalk and the test ; that the 

 gelatinous content of the stalk is disposed in filaments ; that the division 

 shows karyokinesis and the presence of centrosomes ; that the con- 

 jugation is a plastogamy ; and that the class is allied to that of the 

 Heliozoa by forms like Acanthocystis pectinata, Heliocometes conspicuus, 

 and H. digitatus. The monograph includes useful diagnostic tables, and 

 also lists of the animals on which the Tentaculifera occur. 



Adaptation of Infusorians to Concentrated Solutions.f— Prof. A. 

 Yasuda has experimented with Euglena viridis, Chilomonas paramsecium, 

 Mallomonas plosslii, Colpidium colpoda, and Paramsecium caudatum, in 

 relation to concentrated solutions of sugars and salts. Isotonic solu- 

 tions have approximately similar effects ; the Infusorians withstand less 

 alteration of concentration than the lower Algas and Fungi do ; a sudden 

 transference to solutions of greater concentration induces longitudinal 

 cuticular folds which are gradually smoothed out ; the rate of multipli- 

 cation is lessened ; the movements are retarded. In strong sugar solu- 

 tions the size is increased ; vacuoles, chromatophores, and starch-grains 

 increase in size; the shape becomes rounder. Near the maximum of 

 endurable concentration the cytoplasmic enclosures tend to fuse. 



Coccidia and their Role.} — Prof. B. Blanchard discusses (a) the 

 dimorphism, (b) the life-history, and (c) the classification of Coccidia. 

 Before the discovery of the dimorphism of Coccidia, the schizogonic or 

 eimerian phase was regarded as generically or specifically distinct from 

 the rest of the life-cycle. An entire revision has been necessary, and 

 the author recognises three families based on the number of sporocysts 

 contained in the oocyst. 



1. Disporocystidae : — Cyclospora, Isospora. 



2. Tetrasporocystidae : — Coccidium, Grystallospora. 



3. Polysporocystidae : — Gymnospora, Barrouxia, Adelea, Legeria, 



Klossia, and Myaloklossia. 



* Ann. Soc. Beige Micr., xxv. (1899) pp. 1-205 (8 pis.). 



t Journ. Coll. Sci. Tokyo, xiii. (1900) pp. 101-40 (3 pis.). 



X Causeries Scient. Soc. Zool. France, No. 5, 1900, pp. 133-72 (12 figs.). 



