Journal of Applied Microscopy. 621 



which the diatoms grow, notably should these be green algae. By the use of 

 carbolic acid, into which the specimens are transferred directly from the water, 

 this bleachiug effect is largely obviated and better preparations obtained. As 

 the object is, however, to show the attached diatoms, any contraction or slight 

 injury to the color of the host, arising from the action of the carbolic, is of 

 slight importance, and is, as a matter of fact, not sufficient to prevent a very 

 pretty slide from being obtained. 



Of course this method does not show the endochrome, but the markings on 

 the frustule are distinctly seen, as well as its mode of attachment to the alga. 

 I have mounted a quantity of material of Rhaluioiiema ami at inn by this method. 



G. H. Bryan. 

 University College of North Wales, Bangor, Great Britain. 



An Interesting Abnormality. 



I wish to give a brief account of a peculiar abnormality which has recently 

 come under my notice, hoping that some readers of this magazine may have 

 found a similar condition or perhaps will do so in the future. In a large adult 

 cat the left testis was retained in the' abdomen, the right being perfectly normal. 

 The retained gland was striking for its relatively small size and its peculiar posi- 

 tion and relations. At first glance it seemed that this organ must be an ovary ; 

 its position, vascular supply, and size all tended to produce this impression, sug- 

 gesting of course that the animal was hermaphrodite. Closer examination showed 

 the structures to resemble those of the testis more nearly, but a microscopic exam- 

 ination was necessary to determine the point fully. Owing to the high abdomi- 

 nal position of the testis (it was just a little caudad of the kidney) the character- 

 istic loop of the vas deferens over the ureter was lacking, althovigh both efferent 

 ducts opened as usual into the urethra. Along the length of the left duct, as 

 far as the bladder, there was a broad peritoneal fold, attaching it to the abdomi- 

 nal wall and entirely preventing any slipping of the organ to an external or even 

 lower abdominal position. In any case there was no fold of skin corresponding 

 to the scrotal sac to receive it. These facts sustain the opinion that the abnor- 

 mal position was an entirely constant one in the animal, and not one either acci- 

 dentally or temporarily acquired. 



On examining embryo kittens to find if possible at what stage the arrest in 

 descent had occurred, it was found that the position corresponded closely to that 

 found in an embryo of nine and one-half centimeters long, with the hair just 

 beginning to develop. In these animals the descent of the testes into the scrotal 

 sac takes place only a few days before birth, but they lie low in the abdomen 

 some time before. So that the high abdominal position represented a somewhat 

 early stage. 



The two testes were removed, embedded in collodion and sectioned, and on 

 examination the following facts were shown : the right testis was normal, sperma- 

 tozoa were developing in the tubules, and all stages of the process were to be 

 seen (Fig. 1). The outer layer of parietal cells (<?) showed little chromatin in 

 the nuclei, the cytoplasm was finely granular; the next layer of sperm mother 



