QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 53 
and watched their development from a spherical, naked 
vesicle, to the perfect coral. The first change observed was 
a lengthening in the ova, a cavity forming (subsequently 
developed into the mouth) in the interior—a worm-like 
creature provided with minute porapodia being produced, the 
length being scarcely ~,th of an inch. These worm-like 
larve had a tendency to aggregate and flattening to apply 
their extremities to the sides of the glass vessel in which 
they were placed. This they all eventually did. They then 
gradually enlarged in breadth and diminished in length, 
becoming lens-shaped discs, in the midst of which was the 
oral aperture: around this the tentacles were developed. 
The characteristic red colour of the ectoderm was then 
developed, whilst the tentacles retained their want of colour, 
appearing in the perfect coral-like white stars. The develop- 
ment of the coral is then, as M. Lacaze Duthiers shows, a 
simple one, and not attended with any of those remarkable 
phenomena incident to the growth of other cclenterates. 
Observations on the Mode of Fecundation of the Amphileptus 
Fasciola. By M. Duscouttzs (‘Comptes Rendus,’ October, 
1864.)—Whilst observing some conferve in the month of 
December, the author observed very numerous individuals of 
Amphileptus. One he found performing rotatory movements, 
revolving round a point. This he watched for some time, till, 
at length,it performed sundry convulsive movements, its caudal 
extremity became truncated, and gave passage to a round 
gray body. At this moment another individual arrived, 
leisurely swimming over the field of observation ; suddenly, 
on coming near to the protruded vesicle appended to the 
revolving Amphileptus, it threw itself against it, and by the 
movements of its body aided the disengagement of the vesicle 
from the first specimen. The Amphileptus, liberated from 
its burden, retired into a confervoid mass, whilst the ‘‘ accou- 
cheur ”’ attached himself to the vesicle, passing himself over 
it and rubbing his body against it. These movements were 
continued for four minutes, when the “ accoucheur”’ departed, 
and the other Amphileptus came from its retirement and 
began to advance towards the vesicle, which appeared then to 
be seized and rubbed till it was broken and its contents 
liberated in the form of little bodies considered by M. 
Desgoultes as eggs. The fecundation was several times 
observed by the author, but the subsequent disintegration of 
the vesicle was only noticed in this single instance. 
A Contribution to the Anatomy of Bothriocephalus latus. 
By Dr. Lupwie Sriepa. (‘ Riechert und Du Bois Raymond’s 
Archiv’ (Miller), July, 1864.)—A very careful and well-illus- 
