444 Chronicles of Science. [July, 
Max Schultze’s ‘Archiv fur Mikroskopische Anatomie’ is a 
journal which has been started by the Professor at Bonn, and has 
already attained to its fifth number. It contains many very 
valuable papers. Amongst others there have been three on 
various matters relating to those strange little creatures, the 
Tardigrada, or “ bear-beasties,’ as the German name for them 
may be translated. Dr. Richard Greef contributed a paper 
on their nervous system to the first number, as also another 
in the last issue, relating to the genus Macrobiotus, both of 
which are excellently illustrated. A paper ‘On the Movements 
of the Diatomacer,” by Prof. Schultze, in the fourth number, 
is one of great interest—it is the author’s opinion that a sareodic 
organic substance is spread over the whole external surface of the 
Diatom which is the chief agent in rapid movement. He does not, 
however, consider that this affects the question of the animal or 
plant-nature of Diatoms. The papers in this journal which are 
devoted to the mechanical wants of microscopists will be found very 
good. There are many useful and important pieces of apparatus 
described in its pages which English makers would do well to 
introduce for us into this country. 
A paper, by Professor Leydig, of Tiibingen, “On Phreoryctes 
Menkeanus, Hofm.,” appears in the third part of this journal, and 
is well worthy of attention. This extraordinary worm was originally 
discovered by Herr Menke in a brook at Pyrmont, and it was first 
described by Hofmeister as Haplotaxis Menkeana, which name was 
afterwards changed to its present appellation. or a long time the 
only known habitat was the original site in which the worm was 
discovered, but it has since been met with by Leydig at Tubingen, 
and it is stated by Leuckart to be common at Giessen, so that we 
may hope to hear of its occurrence in this country. A second 
species, apparently belonging to the same genus, was described by 
Schlotthauber in 1859. The worm, which strongly resembles a 
Gordius, has a cylindrical body, about half a line thick and more 
than a foot long. When viewed alive, it is at once seen to pre- 
sent all the characters of a true Annelid. There are four rows of 
sete on the sides and ventral aspect, each segment presenting on 
either side a larger seta, which is placed quite on the ventral aspect, 
as in the common earth worm, and a smaller one, which from its 
position might almost be termed dorsal. In the middle portion of 
the body the ventral sete sometimes occur in pairs on either side, 
but more usually only one is met with. The sete themselves have 
a slight sigmoid flexure, with a small enlargement in the middle. 
According to Schlotthauber, the proper habitat of the worm is moist 
earth ; but according to Leydig’s observations it would seem to be 
truly aquatic, or, at any rate, to require exceedingly wet mud for 
its abode. 
