QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 9] 
3. “ On Darwinella aurea, a Sponge with star-shaped horny 
Spicules,” by Fritz Miiller.—This is a detailed description of 
the structure of asponge of which Fritz Muller had previously 
sent a fragment from Desterro to Max Schultze. Professor 
Schultze gave it the name Darwinia, which, however, had 
been already applied by Mr. Spence Bate to an amphipod 
crustacean. Herr Miller therefore changes the name of the 
sponge to Darwinella. Its fibres are dendroid, and not 
conjoined into a network, while the spicules are large and 
numerous and soluble in caustic soda. The chief interest 
attached to this sponge les in its stellate horny spicules, 
which Herr Miller considers as presenting an important 
piece of evidence in connection with the Darwinian theory, 
since they serve to bridge over the gap between sponges with 
siliceous and sponges with calcareous spicules. 
3. ‘ Onthe Process of Ossification,”’ by Prof. Dr. Waldeyer, 
of Breslau.—-In this paper the subject of ossification is treated 
at some length, and a plate illustrating Dr. Waldeyer’s views is 
attached. The views of H. Miiller, Gegenbaur, Max Schultze, 
Sharpey, Beale, Landois, Virchow, and others, are discussed. 
5. “The Movement of the Diatomacee,” by Max Schultze.— 
The movements of the Diatomacez still continue to puzzle 
microscopists, and various explanations of this phenomenon 
have been advanced. Professor Schultze has carefully studied 
a number of species—Pleurosigma angulatum, Pleurosigma 
fasciola, Nitschia sigmoides, Surirella bifrons, and others— 
making various experiments and observations upon them. 
He is led from these researches to conclude that a glutinous 
organic substance, which is concerned in rapid movement, is 
spread over the external surface of the Diatomacee. It 
is by this protoplasmic sheath that the Bacillarte become 
adherent to one another. Professor Schultze does not con- 
sider that this view affects the question of the animal or plant 
nature of diatoms. He considers that they must be left 
with some other unicellular beings, as of ‘ uncertain king- 
dom,” until we know more of what constitutes the boundary, 
if there be any, between plants and animals. Professor 
Schultze’s paper is illustrated by an elaborate coloured plate. 
6. “On the Formation of the Spermatozoa,” by V.la Valette 
St. George.—This is the first part of an essay on the seminal 
corpuscles. The author gives many careful observations, and 
states that his researches lead him to confirm Kolliker’s 
statements, and with him and Henle to regard the bodies or 
heads of the spermatozoa as changed nuclei. 
7. “ Experimental Studies on the Fatty Degeneration of Mus- 
cular Tissue,” by Alexander Stuart.—According to the auhtor, 
