NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 105 



transformations, from the time of its being a small protoplasmic mass 

 sprung from the Psorospermia, until its completion was arrived at, till 

 in fact it attained 16 mm. in length. He has found in the] lobster's 

 intestine multitudes of small protoplasmic masses resembling the 

 Protamoeha pi-imitiva of Haeckel, with certain distinctions from it 

 however. They are distinguished from the true Amoeba by the absence 

 of a nucleus and a contractile vacuole. These have no projections from 

 them. There are, however, others which have one, or more frequently 

 two prolongations in the form of arms, which M. Van Beneden says 

 resemble the mobile stem of Noctiluca, and these forms he calls gene- 

 rating cytodes. He then describes the movements of them, one of the 

 arms or projections of which is motionless. After a time the other 

 increases in length till at last it breaks away, and having sjiecially an 

 undulating motion, it is like a nematoid worm. Curiously enough, 

 when the movable arm has been discharged, the further development 

 of the arm at rest begins, and it goes through the same process of 

 development and motion as the preceding, with this difference, that 

 instead of becoming detached from the central mass it gradually 

 absorbs it as a vertebrate embryo absorbs the contents of the vitelline 

 sac. The resemblance of the animal thus formed to the Nematodes 

 has led the author to style them pseudofilarice. He then proceeds 

 to describe the further develoj)ment of those peculiar bodies into 

 Gregarina gigcmtea. After this comes a discussion of various ques- 

 tions connected with the subject. These are as follows : " Monera and 

 the monerien phase of the Gregarinidse," in this Dr. Beales' germinal 

 matter theory is discussed ; " The evolution of Gregarinidfe put in the 

 light of an example of endogenous generation ;" " Importance of the 

 nucleolus ;" " Are the gregarines a regressive development of the 

 Amoeba?" and lastly, "Do the gregarines present an alternate genera- 

 tion ?" Thus concludes a memoir of nearly forty images, and with an 

 excellent plate. We think it is one of the most important i)apers that 

 have appeared for some years, and we commend it to our readers. 



NOTES AND MEMOEANDA. 



How to close Cells filled with Glycerine.— This important sub- 

 ject, and one which too little is generally kno^vn about, was discussed 

 lately before the Quekett Club.* The question was asked by Mr. Henry 

 Lee, as to how cells were filled with glycerine, so as to prevent the 

 glycerine after a while from escaping, Mr. Suffolk said that he was 

 one of those who had been extremely successful in keeping glycerine 

 in. His plan was as follows : — When the cell was closed he varnished 

 it with a coating of common liquid glue, and when this was dry he put 

 it under the tap, and thoroughly washed it, in order to remove any 

 glycerine which might remain outside. After carefully drying the 

 slide with blotting paper, he gave it another coating of the liquid 

 glue, and when dry repeated the washing process, and after having 

 * Journal of the Club, July. 



