ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 569 



difference between the epidermis of the palms and soles and that of the 

 other regions of the body. 



Matrix of Connective-Tissue.* — Herr Fr. C. C. Hansen has investi- 

 gated various forms of connective-tissue with special reference to the 

 origin of the ground-substance. He finds that in the intervertebral 

 discs the connective-tissue fibrils have both an intracellular and an 

 extracellular origin, and there are also transitional forms between the 

 two. The development of connective-tissue in cartilage takes place in 

 various ways, one of the most interesting being the development of the 

 fibrillae from albumoid masses which are ejected from the cells. The 

 albumoid masses form in vacuoles in the ceils, and are ejected from the 

 cell together with the portion of the cell-substance foi'ining the wall of 

 the vacuole. As they lie in the matrix they then become centres for 

 the formation of fibrillae. The author also finds that in the cartilage of 

 different animals there are true extracellular centres for fibrillar forma- 

 tion, showing that the matrix possesses formative activity apart from its 

 enclosed cells. Generally, the author considers that the distinction 

 between " ground-substance " and " protoplasm " is somewhat arbitrary, 

 the two being so intimately connected that he is disposed to regard 

 hyalin cartilage as a syncytium, the ectoplasm (= ground -substance) of 

 the elements being united, the endoplasrn (= the " cells ") being 

 distinct. 



Phagoeytosis.f — Prof. E. Metchnikoff finds that the macrophagous 

 cells of the rabbit will take up living spermatozoa. The head is first 

 taken up by the cell, and the protruding tail displays movements during 

 the process. The red blood-corpuscles of the goose were also taken up, 

 the phagocytes putting oxvt pseudopodia in the same way as that in 

 which a Vampyrella takes up its prey, and speedily devouring the 

 corpuscles. 



Peritoneal Epithelium of Cat.t— Prof. W. S. Miller has examined 

 the central tendon, suspensory ligament, great omentum, and mesentery 

 of the cat, in order especially to study the so-called stigmata or stomata. 

 His results lead him to deny that pre-formed natural openings exist, the 

 appearances usually described as stomata being, as he believes, artifacts, 

 produced during the preparation of the structures for examination. 



Blood of Fishes.§ — Herr Bernhard Eawitz has continued his obser- 

 vations on this subject, the present investigations being confined to 

 Ganoids and Teleosts. They confirm in all respects the previous results 

 as to the variability of the constituent elements, as contrasted with the 

 constancy found in the case of mammalian blood. In Crenilabrus pavo 

 there are two distinct forms of erythrocytes not connected by inter- 

 mediate forms. In Sargus vulgaris, as in Scyllium catulus, there is marked 

 erythrocytolysis without the formation of blood-plates. In Teleosts as 

 a whole there is complete absence of eosinophilous granulations, and 

 generally it would appear that conclusions drawn from the conditions 



* Anat. Anzeig., xvi. (1899) pp. 417-38 (13 figs.). 



t Ann. Inst. .Pasteur, xiii. (1899) pp. 737-G9 (2 pis.). See also Bot. Centralbl . 

 Ixxxii. (1900) pp. 206-7. 



I Bull. Univ. Wisconsin (Sci. Ser.), ii. (1900) pp. 235-46 (2 pis.). 

 § Arch. Mikr. Anat., lvi. (1900) pp. 149-68 (1 pi.). 

 Oct. 17th, 1900 2 q 



