PRESE FACTS. 
A Strance Tart. Gustav Tornrer. ‘Ein Eidechsenschwanz mit Saug- 
scheibe,” Bol. Centralbl. xix. 1899, pp. 549-552, 3 figs. The end of the 
tail of the lizard Lygodactylus picturatus is unique. It bears twenty attaching 
plaits in two rows, which form an effective sucker on the vacuum principle. 
The fingers and toes bear similar plaits, but each has only half as many plaits 
as the tail. The strange tail is an adaptation for clambering on the smooth 
surfaces of bananas and candelabra Euphorbias. 
Fauna oF FroG Spawn. Cart Toon. “Einige Beobachtungen iiber 
die Fauna, welche sich im Froschlaich aufhiilt,” Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien, xlix. 
1899, pp. 391-393. In ponds from two different localities in Bohemia, Thon 
found that the spawn of Hana fusca and A. esculenta had associated with it an 
almost identical set of small animals. A few days after hatching, small 
Dyticidae, e.g., Hydroporus, made their appearance, but were not seen to injure 
the eggs; then water-mites, ¢.g., Hylais setosa ; then Entomostraca, e.g., species 
of Cyclops, Chydorus, and Cypris, some of which helped to loosen the jelly. 
After hatching, many insect larvae appeared, e.g., of Cloéon dipterwm, Ceratopogon, 
Chironomus, Perla, Limnophilus, some of which devoured the young tadpoles 
greedily. Below the spawn lay Asellus aquaticus back downwards ; nymphs 
of Curvipes, etc., were also abundant. Among the tadpoles, but hardly dis- 
tinguishable because of their dark colour, were individuals of Polycelis nigra. 
After the empty spheres sank to the bottom, some encysted Vorticellids, many 
monads and diatoms, some statoblasts and ephippia were found amongst the 
jelly, but no infusorians or rotifers. Some of the associates loosen the jelly, 
others effect its further dissolution ; others, again, make war with the tadpoles, 
but the protective value of the jelly is corroborated. 
BRANCHIAL RESPIRATION IN MILLIPEDES. M. Causarp. ‘Sur la respira- 
tion branchiale chez les Diplopodes,” Comptes Rendus Acad. Sct. Paris, exxix. 
1899, pp. 237-239. The observer found Brachydesmus superus in a brook 
under submerged stones, and was interested to notice that it evaginated two 
transparent ampullae from the rectum. He put Polydesmus gallicus in water, 
and observed the same phenomenon, and he succeeded again with a species of 
Lulus, so that the occurrence is probably not infrequent. The ampullae are 
formed from a protrusible rectal pouch, hitherto unobserved, and as they show 
tracheae and blood-currents, Causard does not hesitate to speak of a branchial 
respiration. 
A Repucinc FERMENT IN THE ANIMAL ORGANISM. E. ABELOUS and E. 
GeraRD. “Sur la présence, dans lorganisme animal, d’ un ferment soluble 
réducteur. Pouvoir réducteur des extraits d’organes,” Comptes Rendus Acad. 
Ser. Paris, cxxix. 1899, pp. 164-166. In extract of horse’s kidney a soluble 
ferment was found which reduced potassium and ammonium nitrates, de- 
colorised methylene blue, and seemed to form butyric aldehyde from butyric acid. 
BREEDING Hapirs oF A TrREE-Froc. J. 8. Bupcerr. ‘Notes on the 
Batrachians of the Paraguayan Chaco, with observations upon their breeding 
habits and development, especially with regard to Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis, 
Cope ; also a description of a new genus,” Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci. xlii. 1899, 
pp- 305-333, 5 pls. The author observed a female of Phyllomedusa hypo- 
chondrialis, with a male upon her back, wandering about in search of a leat 
whereon to lay her eggs. ‘‘ At last the female, climbing up the stem of a plant 
Sik, 
