ZOOLOGY. 573 



III. PORIFEKS. 



Bowerbank (J. S.) A Monograpli of the British Spongiadae. Edit »d with additions 



by A. M. Norman. Vol.4. (Supplementary.) Loudon, Ray Society, 1882. (8vo, 



xvii, 250 pp., 17 pi.) 

 Marshall (W.) Die Ontogonie von ReuierafiligranaO. Schm. Zeitachr.f. wise Zool., 37 



Bd., pp. 221-246, pi., 13-14. 

 Vosmaer (G. C. J.) Porifera. Neu bearbeitet. 1. Lief. Leipzig, C. P. Winter, 1882. 



(Bronn's Klassen und Ordnungen Theirreichs, 2. Band. 8vo.) 

 Weltner (Wilhelm). Beitrage znr Keuntniss der Spongien. Mit 3 Lichldrucktaf. 



Inaug.-Diss. Freiburg, i, Br., 1882. (8vo, 62 pp.) 



Relations of the Sponges. 



loasmuch as Mr. Keiit has raised again the question as to the afSni- 

 tiesof the Sponges, the conclusions reached by Professor Marshall from a 

 study of the development of RenierafiUgrans, one of the Fibrous Sponges 

 representing a family allied to the commercial species, may be aptly 

 noticed here. After traversing the views of previous investigators, 

 Marshall contends that the Sponges are less differentiated from the 

 Coelenterates than some of those even who admit the value of its met- 

 azoic characteristics — e. g. Balfour — have been disposed to concede. 

 The Fibrous Sponges, by their developmental history, are shown to be 

 less specialized than the calcareous types. The objection that the ab- 

 sence of tentacles and nettle-cells is of j)rime importance is met by the 

 assertion that such are also wanting in Beroe, and that, at any rate, it 

 is no more than might be a priori looked for, on account of the habits 

 and characteristics of nutrition of the forms. In fine, the Sponges are 

 asserted to be derivatives in common with the typical Coelentrates from a 

 Protactinian stock, and both are Metazoans with gastric cavities and 

 mesenterial pouches and with centrifugal cauals originating from the 

 former, which may open to the exterior by pores and thereby take in 

 nutriment ; they are invested by endodermal cells which may become 

 converted into flagellate cells. (J. R. M. S., (2,) v. ii, p. 798.) 



IV. CCELENTERATES. 



GBNEKAI.. 



Hamann (Otto). Studien fiber Coelenteraten. Mit 2 Taf. Jena. ZeiUchr. /. Naturm$», 

 XV Bd., pp. 545-557. 



HYDB0ID8. 



Hamann (Otto). Der Organismus der Hydroidpolypen. Mit 6 Ta£ Jena. Zeitsohr, 



f, Naturmsa., v. xv, pp. 473-544. 

 Haeckel (Ernst). Report on the Deep Sea Meduste dredged by H. M. S. Challenger. 



With 32 pi. Report SGieniif. Results, Challenger, Zool., v. iv, cv, 154 pp. 

 Mereschkonsky (C. de). Structure et developpmeut des Nematophores Chez les Hy- 



droides. Avec 2 pi. Arch. Zool. Experim., t. X, pp. 583-610. 



Primordial Medusce. 



The earliest indications of Medusae hitherto known have been of 

 triassic age and found in the lithographic slate of Solenhofen. The con- 

 eistency of these organisms naturally militates against their preserva- 



