ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 153 



apparatus, and believes that this is the characteristic action of an 

 anaesthetic on living tissue. 



Zoological Technique.* — Michael F. Guver has prepared a hand- 

 book giving- practical directions for the preparation of zoological 

 material for microscopic work. He discusses histological methods, fixing, 

 staining, cutting, mounting, decalcification, maceration, injection, and 

 special devices, e.g. for embryological work. 



Relation of Liver-cells to Blood-vessels and Lymphatics, t — 

 P. T. Herring and Sutherland Simpson have investigated the question 

 of the relationship of the blood and lymph to the liver-cells in mammals. 

 They find that the liver-cells are permeated by fine anastomosing chan- 

 nels which undoubtedly receive plasma from the blood. The lymphatics 

 of the liver (dog, cat) are confined to the visible connective tissue of 

 Glisson's capsule and the adventitia of the hepatic veins. There are no 

 lymphatics within the lobules. The endothelium lining the intra-lobular 

 blood spaces is incomplete, and allows the passage through it of both 

 fluid and fine solid particles into the liver-cells. The concentrated 

 character of the liver lymph is explained by this feature of the endo- 

 thelium lining the intra-lobular blood-vessels, which thus permits the 

 plasma to pass directly into the liver-cells. It is possible that the cells 

 of the lobule form a syncytium, and the lymph is thus able to pass from 

 cell to cell. 



Mechanism of Destruction of Nerve-cells. | — Y. Manouelian com- 

 municates facts showing clearly that in human madness there is phago- 

 cytosis of the nerve-cells of the cerebro-spinal ganglia. This is effected 

 by the macrophages, the results being analogous to those accompanying 

 senile degeneration. All stages of phagocytosis were observed. The 

 macrophages penetrate the nerve-cells, attack the pigment, break up 

 and absorb the granules ; it is probable that the other parts of the 

 nerve-cell also become their prey. 



Eye of Notoryctes typhlops, Stirling.§— Georgina Sweet has made 

 a study of this structure. She finds that in all its parts it is much more 

 degenerate than is the eye of Talpa or Scalops, its analogous forms in 

 other parts of the world. It has retired far beneath the skin, which 

 passes over it unaltered, but for the presence of tactile (?) organs. A 

 conjunctival sac is present, and the lachrymal glands are extremely well 

 developed — both being concerned with some function unconnected with 

 vision. The eye muscles are abnormal and variable ; their usual nerve 

 supply is absent. Sclerotic, cornea, and choroid are indistinguishable 

 from each other ; the lens is always absent, the vitreous body practically 

 so. The other parts are very degenerate or absent. The relation of 

 this marked degeneration to the environment is considered in the paper. 



* Animal Micrology : Practical Exercises in Microscopical Methods. Uni- 

 versity of Chicago Press, 1906, ix. and 240 pp. 



t Proc. Roy. Soc, Series B, Ixxviii. (1906) pp. 455-97 (2 pis.). 

 X Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xx. (1906) pp. 859-68 (1 pi.). 

 § Quart. Jouru. Micr. Sci., 1. (1906) pp. 547-71 (1 pL). 



