- ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 31 



is unnecessary, since that bone of the Urodelan skull agrees perfectly 

 with the Mammalian squamosal. 



Albinism in Coot.* — J. Pellegrin describes the rare case of an 

 almost perfectly white coot {Fulica atra) from the marshes of Clery in 

 the department of Somme. The whole plumage was snowy white except 

 a few ashy feathers at the end of each wing. The eyes were normal. 



Ross's Gull in the Mediterranean.! — Cliacinto Martorelli gives an 

 account of the somewhat astonishing appearance of Ross's gull {Rhodo- 

 stethia rosea) in Mediterranean waters in the vicinity of Sardinia. 



Chelonians of Brazil.^ — Emilio A. (loeldi gives a general intro- 

 ductory account of the Chelonians of Brazil, dealing with 18 genera and 

 25 species. 



Enteron and Integument of Cryptobranchus.§— A. M. Reese gives 

 brief notes upon the alimentary canal and integument of Grijptohraiichus 

 alleijhemensk. There are no particularly striking features in the lining 

 of the oral cavity. The tongue has only a short portion free from the 

 hyoid, and its musculature is not strongly developed. No trace of the 

 sense organs described by Kingsbury in the tongue of Necturus was 

 observed. The lining epithelium of the mucosa of the CBSophagus is of the 

 ciliated stratified variety, but goblet, and irregular basal cells are present 

 also. Notes, similar in character, on the stomach, intestine, and rectum 

 are also given. The most interesting features of the integument whicb 

 are described are the neuromasts or organs of the lateral line system. 

 They do not show much elevation of the surface. The epidermis dips 

 down and becomes reduced to a single layer of cells. A comparatively 

 wide opening connects the cavity formed with the exterior. At the 

 bottom of the cavity there are small conical cells with deeply staining 

 nuclei (sensory cells). The nerve connections of the organ were not 

 clearly made out. 



Variations in Length of Frog's Intestine.]] — Emile Yung finds 

 that the intestine of Rana fusca is always shorter than that of Rana 

 esculenta ; that it is always shorter in males than in females ; that it is 

 relatively shorter in large frogs that have finished their growth ; and 

 that it is relatively shorter in early spring than in late autumn. 



Electric Organ of Stargazer (Astroscopus).1[ — Ulric Dahlgi-en and 

 C. F. Silvester describe a new form of electric apparatus in this 

 American Teleost. It is an organ of high specialisation and eflficiency, 

 and quite unlike others in its structure. It consists of two irregular 

 vertical columns behind and somewhat under each eye, extending from 

 a peculiar bare spot on the top of the head down to the roof of the 

 mouth. Each column is composed of a large number of flat, thin 



* Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xxi. (1906) pp. 62-4 (1 fig.), 

 t Rend. R. 1st. Lombardo, xxxix. (1906) pp. 181-92. 

 X Bol. Mus. Gceldi, iv., No. 4 (1905-6) pp. 699-756. 

 § Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc, xxvi. (1905) pp. 109-20 (2 pis.). 

 II Arch. Sci. Phys. Nat., xxi. (1906) pp. 535-6. 

 i Anat. Anzeig., xxix. (1906) pp. 387-403 (13 figs.). 



