ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 319 



there may be a similar mode of origin — that the axis is formed inde- 

 pendently inside each axial polyp, filling np most of its gastral cavity, 

 and only uniting secondarily with the ordinary lateral polyps. 



Porifera. 



New Silicious Sponges.* — L. Baer describes collections from 

 Zanzibar, Cape Town, and Tahiti, twenty species in all. Fifteen of these 

 are new, and of Teda/iia diyitata Schmidt three varieties are established, 

 mainly on account of their external form and the characters of the canal 

 system. 



Californian Sponges.f — P. Urban describes very fully four new 

 species of calcareous sponges from Monterey Bay, California, of the 

 genera LeAicosoUnia, Sycandra, and Leacandra. Particular attention has 

 been given to the dimensions and angles of the spicules of the various 

 regions. 



Protozoa. 



Structure of Cytoplasm in Protozoa. :{: — E. Faure-Freniiet distin- 

 guishes the cytoplasm proper (including hyaloplasm and paraplasm) from 

 enclosed " spheroplasts," which do not represent the intimate structure 

 of the protoplasm (as Kunstler thinks), but are elements comparable to 

 the leucites of plants. They have a certain individuality ; they multiply 

 by division ; they can elaborate products necessary to life. 



Amoeboid Movements^ — L. Rhumbler defends his mechanical 

 theory of surface-tension movement in Amoeba, and points out that it is 

 not dependent on the movements termed " Fontanen-stromung," whose 

 existence Jennings calls in question. These movements, though not 

 frequent, certainly do occur in some Ammbce ; it is not their uncon- 

 ditional necessity, but their theoretical value as a starting point, which 

 accounts for their occupying the chief place in the author's theories. 

 It is not claimed that there is more than a parallel value or " con- 

 vergence " shown in the comparative experiments with organic and in- 

 organic mechanics ; the chemistry in both is fundamentally different. 

 It is possible that in the Amc&ba resides a " Miniaturpsyche " — an energy 

 of unknown character, and not necessarily metaphysical because absent 

 in the inorganic. Jennings' latest observations do not bear upon the 

 author's interpretations in this respect. 



Life-History of Hypotrichous Infusoria. |] — Lorande Loss Woodruff 

 has made an interesting experimental study on species of Oxytricha, 

 Plenrotricha, and Gastrostyla, with the main object of ascertaining if 

 the life-history is characterised by " cycles," and if so, how these are 

 marked by cytological changes and related to environmental influences. 



All the cultures furnished evidence that the species pass through 

 periods of greater and less vitality as measured by rate of division. 



* Arch. Natur. Ges., lxxii. (1906) pp. 1-32 (5 pis.). 



t Tom. cit., pp. 33-76 (4 pis.). 



X Comptes Rendus, cxlii. (1906) pp. 58-60. 



§ Zeitschr. wiss. Zool., lxxxiii. (1905) pp. 1-52 (23 figs.). 



|| Journ. Exper. Zool., ii. (1905) pp. 585-632 (3 pis.). 



