704 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



containing granules, but still united by the body-wall of the parent; 

 when they separate they are flattened bodies 7-1000ths millimeters long 

 and 3-1000ths thick, and of an oval contour ; from one pole there issues 

 a flagellum twice as long as the body. It is thought by Grassi that 

 their development tends to approximate the Amcebce to the Monerce, and 

 the forms studied by him are supposed to have many connections with 

 Protomyxomyces ciprinarius of Cunningham. (Arch. Ital. de Biologic, 

 vol. II, pp. 402, 444; J. B. M. 8.(2), vol. Ill, 3, p. 674.) 



Infusorium. 



Neic parasitic Flagellates. — Dr. Grassi has investigated the endopar- 

 asitic " Protista " and recognizes five families of Flagellata. He sat- 

 isfied himself that the number of flagella is of but little taxonomic im- 

 portance, and bases his families on the condition of the extremities and 

 especially of the posterior. One of the families recognized was based 

 on a newly discovered type, the Trichomonas melolonthce, found in the 

 beetle indicated. The family — called Trichoinonadidae— is distinguished 

 by the tapering of the posterior extremity and the development of sev- 

 eral flagella as well as trichocyst-like bodies at the anterior extremity. 

 Megastomidea and Lophomonadidea are two families proposed for pre- 

 viously known forms. (Arch. Ital. de Biol., vol. II, pp. 402, 444; J. B. 

 M. 8. (2), vol. in, pp. 673, 674). 



III. PORIFERS. 



Sponges. 



The mode of boring of Clione. — The means by which the celebrated 

 boring-sponge Clione finds its way into shells and other hard sub- 

 stances has long been a matter of doubt and dispute. Eecent obser- 

 vations have been made by H. Nassonow, and he has attempted to 

 answer especially two questions — (1) how the sponge excavates hard 

 calcareous structures and completes its destructive work, and (2) the 

 effect of its parasitic habit j on the sponge itself. 



For the solution of the first question young sponges were cultivated 

 on thin transparent calcareous lamellae. "The larvae, after a free stage, 

 settled on the plates, and soon a rosette-shaped mark appeared ; the 

 sponge gave off thin processes, which passed into the substance of the 

 plate and followed the contour lines of the rosette; about a day after 

 the sponge settled a rosette-shaped particle was taken out of the plate; 

 the body of the sponge entered the depiessiou thus formed, took the 

 particles into and then cast them out of its body. Toward the evening 

 of the day of observation the rosette-shaped marking had totally dis- 

 appeared, and its place was taken by a small pit; into this the sponge 

 contracted the greater part of its body. Chemical as well as mechani- 

 cal agencies appeared to be at work, but the demonstration of the pres- 

 ence of the acid was prevented by the strong alkaline reaction of the 



