440 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



are specially iutorested in the subject to the paper itself. Basing Lis 

 views on the classitication of Claparede and Laclmiann, he elevates 

 their eight genera — Podophrya, Spliceroplirija, Triehoplmja, Acineta, 

 Solenophri/a, Dendrosoma, Dendrocometes, and Ophryodendron — into 

 eight families, to which he adds the Urnulida ; of these the Tricho- 

 phrida are regarded as the lowest, and the relations of these to 

 the rest, and of the rest to one another, are indicated in a phylogenetic 

 table. 



As to the affinities of the group, the formation of internal embryos, 

 the ciliation, and migratory habits of these embryos, are, with certain 

 other points, indications of their affinities to the Ciliata, from which 

 they seem to have been derived. 



With regard to the more detailed observations, of which only a 

 brief mention can be made ; Acineta tuherosa does not possess differen- 

 tiated prehensile processes or suckers ; all the tentacular organs, to 

 which M. Fraipont gives the name of prehensile suckers, are similar 

 in character ; they are arranged in tufts on ten points of the body, 

 and are only not rigid when they arc seizing their prey, at which time 

 they exhibit a high power of rapid movement. As a rule, it never 

 possesses more than one contractile vacuole ; the only mode of repro- 

 duction observed is that by internal gemmation. The new species 

 Podophrya Benedeni is described as a magnificent form, in which four 

 contractile vacuoles can be made out, and in which the two kinds 

 of tentacular processes already described may be observed : repro- 

 duction is effected by external gemmation. The other new species 

 described are Acineta crenata, Acineta vorticelluides, and Podophrya 

 truncata. The first is of a dirty yellow colour, and has, as a rule, 

 only one contractile vacuole, and there may be as many as twenty-six 

 prehensile suckers : reproduction appears to be effected by external 

 gemmation. 



A few notes are also offered on Podophrya Lynghyi Ehrenberg, in 

 which the pedicle is about five times as long as the body, the prehensile 

 suckers stout and numerous, and the protoplasm, as in so many of this 

 group, coloured dirty yellow ; one or two vacuoles are to be observed, 

 and the nucleus has the form of a short rod, bent on itself. No 

 observations are made as to the reproduction or development of this 

 sj)ecies. 



The Noctilucae. — In addition to the observations of M. Eobin, to 

 which we have referred at p. 331 of vol. i. and p. li)5 of this volume, 

 the Noctilucce have been studied by M. W. Vignal. * 



There is an entire disagreement between the results of Hobin and 

 Vignal on the subject of their contractility. According to Robin, 

 there is nothing analogous to muscular contractility. He says that 

 he has proved with Cadiat, that " induction currents have no influence 

 whatever on the contractions of the tentacle, notwithstanding its 

 striated condition, nor on the contraction of the flagellum or that of 

 the sarcodic contents." 



* " Rechcrches Histologiques ct Pliy»iulogi(iuet) sur Ics Nocliliiques," 

 'Ai-chivcs tie Physiologic,' 10th Nov., 1S78. 



