and Laboratory Methods. 1819 



CURRENT ZOOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 



CHARLES A. KOFOID, University of California. 



Books and Separates of Papers on Zoological Subjects should be Sent for Review to Charles A. 

 Kofoid, University of California, Berkeley, California. 



Caullery, M. et Mesnil, F. Recherches sur les These parasites, representatives of the 

 Orthonectides. Arch. d'Anat. Micros. 4: so-called Mesozoa, were found in the 



381-471, pi. IO-I2, I9OI. 



brood-pouches of ophiurans, in the 

 general cavity of nemerteans, in the digestive caeca of planarians, and in the 

 body cavities of various annelids. The males and females, and in some cases 

 the hermaphodites, are found in the organs enclosed in so-called sacs plastnodiaux, 

 or plasmodes, and very large numbers are usually to be secured from a single 

 host. After removal from the host structural alterations and even disintegration 

 ensue rapidly in sea water. Examination in this medium is. however, necessary 

 for observation of the movements of the plasmodes and the sexual forms and of 

 the ciliation of the latter. Fixation on the slide by osmic vapor followed by 

 picro carmine has been used, as well as fixation and sectioning /// situ in the 

 host. The authors secured best results by teasing out as evenly as possible 

 upon a cover-slip fragments of the parasitized host. Only a small amount of sea 

 water should be used and the material should not be allowed to dry. The cover- 

 slip is then floated, preparation side down, upon the fixing fluid. Saturated 

 solution of sublimate in sea water to which 1 per cent, acetic acid had been 

 added, gave good results when followed by Mayer's haemalum. c. a. k. 



Laguesse, E. Sur la structure du pancreas ^o preserve the zymogen granules 

 chez quelques (Jphidiens et particuherment ^ ./ o o 



sur les ilots endocrines. Arch. d'Anat. which Flemming's Stronger solution 



micros. 4: 157-219, pi. 5, 1901. dissolves out of adult tissues, the author 



prepares a modification of the mixture in which the osmic acid is increased and 

 the acetic acid much weakened, as in the following formula : 



Osmic acid 2 per cent. - - - 4 cm^ 

 Chromic acid 1 per cent. - - 4 or 8 " 



Glacial acetic acid . . _ _ l drop 



Nucleus, cytoplasm and zymogen are well preserved. Tissues should lie in the 

 fluid 24 to 48 hours, be thoroughly washed in running water, and remain in 

 alcohol but a few days before embedding in paraffin. Iron-haematoxylin or 

 Flemming's triple stain gave the best results. The latter stain was modified as 

 follows : The sections were stained for 24 hours in anilin-safranin (mixture of 

 equal parts of saturated solution of safranin in absolute alcohol and of water 

 saturated with anilin oil and filtered), after having been mordanted for 24 hours 

 in a saturated solution of potassium sulphate. They are then stained for 24 

 hours in a gentian-orange mixture prepared as follows: To 3 cm.-^ of an old 

 saturated aqueous solution of gentian violet 3 to 6 drops of a concentrated 

 aqueous solution of orange G is added drop by drop and thoroughly stirred in. 

 Then 3 to 4 cm.^ of distilled water are added in Uke manner until the precipi- 



