28 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



the transverse jugular. The .anterior and posterior digastric elements 

 in Mammals are united at their hyoid extremities. An intermediary 

 tendon is thus formed, which may be transformed into a complete or 

 incomplete tendinous intersection, and which may disappear entirely 

 when the digastric becomes monogastric. 



Mathematical Theory of Skin Ridges.* — G. Kolossoff and E. 

 Paukul discuss a theory of the skin-ridge figures of the palma and 

 planta of primates upon the basis of a system of " neutral lines." They 

 seek to show that a marked tendency towards spiral growth of epidermal 

 formations is present not only during development, but during the 

 whole of life, and that this is related to their system of neutral lines. 

 The tactile corpuscles, the spiral winding of sweat canals, the spiral 

 arrangement of the hair roots, especially in curly hair, are quoted as 

 examples. The authors are of opinion that the skin ridges present an 

 important physiological problem for investigation. 



Transverse Muscle in Human Orbital Cavity.t— Giovanni Perna 

 records this somewhat rare abnormality in an individual fifty -seven years 

 of age. He regards it as the remnant of the primitive muscular mem- 

 brane which surrounds the organ of vision in the lower vertebrates, 

 but which has disappeared in phylogeny in relation to the bony develop- 

 ment, affording a deeper cavity and a more secure protection for the eye. 



Supernumerary Sutures in Human Palate. J — F. Frassetto re- 

 cords the occurrence of supernumerary sutures with fontanelles and 

 fontanellary ossicles in certain human skulls in the Anatomical Institute 

 of Bologna. In most cases there are two such sutures, articulating 

 laterally with the palato-palatine behind, and the incisor suture in front. 

 Associated are four small fontjinelles, with relative fontanellary ossicles ; 

 the anterior pair he named fontanelles amphiporici, and the posterior 

 fontanelles amphisUiurici. 



Plantar Arch in Man.§ — L. Dubreuil-Chambardel describes a 

 superficial plantar arch in man. It appears to be not altogether rare, 

 having been found in five out of 101 cases at Tours. It is a reversion 

 to the embryonic condition ; its disappearance in the normal adult is due 

 to the loss of independence of the different constituent parts of the foot 

 and the limitation of movements. In the lower apes, which effect the 

 most varied movements with the feet, it is well developed. Where it 

 occurs there is a clearly defined differentiation of the arterial system 

 into a superficial and a deep plexus. 



Taxonomic Position of Irish Giant Deer.|| — Einar Lonnberg argues 

 that the likeness between the Fallow Deer and the Giant Deer is only 

 superficial, and that there seems to be more real affinity between the 

 latter and the Reindeer. The affinity, however, is not close enough to 

 justify a union of these two animals in such a way as the Giant Deer 

 and the Fallow Deer have been usually, but wrongly, associated. The 



* Morphol. Jahrb., xxxv. (1906) pp. 697-708 (7 figs ). 

 t Anat. Anzeig., xivii. (1905) Erganzungsheft, pp. 215-23 (2 figs.). 

 : Tom. cit., p. 214. § Tom. cit., pp. 175-6. 



11 Arkiv. Zool., iii., No. 14 (1906) pp. 1-8 (2 figs.). 



