Monthly. Microscopical 
(316, «) Journal, Dee. 1, 1870. 
PROGRESS OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE, 
The New Sponges.—Readers of Mr. Kent’s paper in our Journal 
will find Dr. Oscar Schmidt’s new work full of interesting details 
anent the sponges found in his recent dredgings. Some of his drawings 
are indeed beautiful. The work is almost folio in point of size, and is 
illustrated by six plates, which are unquestionably superior to almost 
anything done in this country. The memoir should be carefully read 
by those who are interested in the subject. 
Change of Structure in the Bones.—Dr. H. E. Sauvage has published 
a memoir which is analyzed at length in the ‘ Journal de l’Anatomie,’ 
No. 4. He has taken certain of the bones of the head, and examining 
them at different ages, from the foetus upwards, he points out and 
figures the different changes which he believes are recognizable by the 
microscope. 
The Development of the Egg.—A somewhat important review of 
recent writings on this point, including Waldeyer’s, Van Beneden’s, 
His’, Van Bambeke’s, and others, and which is of some length (about 
28 pp.), is to be found in the ‘ Archives des Sciences,’ No. 152. It is a 
review of the several writings on the subject of egg development, &c., 
for the past three or four years. 
Function of the Sympathetic System of Nerves.—We must apologize 
to both the author and our readers for not earlier noticing this paper. 
It was read before the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society in June 
last. It contains some important novelties,and deals with minuteness 
with the structure of the sympathetic ganglia. The author holds that 
every sympathetic ganglion is in all animals constructed with three 
forms of nerve-fibres—motor, sensory, and sympathetic proper. It is 
a paper of essential interest, and is by Dr. Edward Meryon. 
Pathological Changes of the Muscles.—M. Georges Hayem continues 
his series of papers on this subject in the ‘ Archives de Physiologie’ 
for 1870, No. 4. He does not conclude his observations in this No., 
but goes on and deals with those changes which follow severe cases of 
small-pox—those, in fact, in which death quickly occurs. A well- 
drawn plate accompanies his paper. 
Distribution of Nerves in Electric Organ of Torpedo [T. Narke].— 
Professor G. V. Ciaccio gives a paper, in which he sums up the con- 
clusions at which he has arrived.—Archivio par la Zoologia, &e., 
Ser. IL, Vol. I. 
Experiments on Spermatozoa.—In the above journal Professor 
Ciaccio also records some experiments on Spermatozoa with hydrogen 
and other substances. 'They are merely worthy of mention however. 
A New Species of the Genus Bomolchus.—This is minutely described 
and figured in a paper by Professor Sebastiano Richardi, in the above 
Italian journal. 
Two New Species of Macrostomum are described by M. Edouard Van 
Beneden in the ‘ Bull. de Acad. Royale des Sciences’ for 1870, No. 8. 
He calls the first M. Viride, and another Omalostomum Claparedii, 
