Miftcellanebus. 387 



each globifer there is a calcareous rod which serves to support the 

 head. 



Globiferi are distributed over the whole surface of the skin. They 

 occur on both the ventral and the dorsal surface. In size they 

 measure a few millimetres. They occur in most Echinida. As yet 

 I have examined them most accurately, besides SphcerecJiinus, in 

 Oentrostephanus Jongispinas, Peters. In this latter species the struc- 

 tures seated upon the peduncle are of ovate form. 



The investigation of fresh globiferi, separated from the living 

 animal, shows at once that they arc glandular organs which emit a 

 secretion through apertures. The tightly stuffed glands (each 

 globule contains a gland with its aperture) may be easily brought 

 to immediate evacuation ; this takes place particularly on the addi- 

 tion of Flemming's chrom-osmium-acetic acid. The evacuation is 

 effected by means of a well-developed musculature. The muscular 

 fibrilliB (smooth muscle-cells) run concentrically with the aperture 

 of each glandular ball. 



The structure of these glandular balls is complex, and varies in 

 the different genera and species. According to the state in which 

 the gland is its structure differs. It reminds one strikingly (espe- 

 cially in Ceati'ostephaiim) of the conditions presented by the muci- 

 genous cells of the Vertebrata in the resting state, or in active 

 secretion. 



jN'either the Holothurians nor the Asterida possess any organs 

 like the globiferi. In them the gland- cells are distributed in the 

 skin, the epithelium. If this were the case in the Echiiuda, any 

 action of theirs agaiust enemies would be inconceivable, as the lono- 

 spines must hinder any such action. Grlandular organs will be 

 capable of cooperating with the stalked pedicellariae in defence only 

 when attached to peduncles. And that we must regard the globiferi 

 as defensive organs, weapons, and as acting in the same way as thfe 

 nettle-capsules of the Coelenterata, is indicated by their structure 

 and by observations on the living animal. — Sitzungsberichte der 

 Jenaischen Ocscllscliaft filr Medicia und NaturwisseHScliaft, 1886. 



Some new Infusoria from American Fresh Waters. 

 By Dr. Alfred C. Stokes. 



In the paper on this subject by Dr. Stokes in the ' Annals ' 

 for February of the present year, at p. 1 04, a new genus is charac- 

 terized under the name of Diplomastacc. In Dr. Stokes's MS. the 

 name given to this genus was Diplomestoma, the etymology of which 

 was given by him as follows : — " ^nrXoos, double ; bfiti)', a mem- 

 brane ; (TTo/^a, a mouth ; " from which it seemed to the Editors 

 absolutely impossible to get such a word as Diplomestoma. While 

 hesitating whether to change the name, and if so how to change it, 

 the Editors found that in the explanation of the figures the species 

 described stood as Dij)lo7nasta.v frontata ; and the latter name 

 was accordingly adopted, under the impression that Dr. Stokes had 



