206 Miscellaneous. 
longicaudata ; for now is there known to science a mammal with 
more caudal vertebre than the familiar Manis. 
The object of this notice has not been to review, so much as to 
give anote on, Mr. Dobson’s work, and, if it may be, to increase the 
interest which is felt in its publication. ‘To the author himself we 
have only to say that, as this work will before long be completed, we 
trust he is beginning to accumulate material for a monograph on 
some other order of that great group of animals in which, after all, 
men must always have the most lively interest. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Observations on Actinospheerium Eichhornii. 
By Miss 8. G. Fourks. 
Ir was stated that, while observing Actinospheria, four individuals 
were seen to become fused, as it were, into one mass. 
At the end of an hour this mass had separated into three Actino- 
spheria, two of the original four remaining fused into one. 
This double one then became constricted, a little to one side of 
the middle, apparently being about to separate. In a few minutes 
the Actinospherium began to eject, at the point of constriction, 
a thin protoplasmic substance containing transparent granulated 
globules and free granules. By a waving motion of the rays, the 
masses of ejected matter were broken up and the globules set free 
in the water. 
These globules developed from one side an extremely long ray of 
finely granular protoplasm, slightly elongating at the same time, 
thus taking an oval shape. No trace of the axial threads peculiar 
to the rays of adult Actinospheria could be discovered. The average 
length of these globules, including the ray, was +1422 millim., 
without the ray -0127 millim. 
The next act of the globules was the sending out another ray 
from a point opposite to the first. Minute vacuoles appeared and 
ranged themselves close to the surface of the globule. Other rays 
were developed at various intervals of time. The appearance of the 
young Actinospheria gradually became more perfect in resemblance 
to the parent. The growth was very slow, the perfect form not 
being attained for a period varying from one to two weeks, and the 
size was even then small, 
The external layer of vacuoles of the Actinospherium from which 
the globules had been ejected contained numbers of granules in 
active motion. In the different vacuoles the number varied from 
ten to about one hundred, as nearly as could be counted. They 
were usually congregated at one point, and seemed to be trying to 
force a way out. 
Sometimes a globular mass of protoplasm was seen to run out 
upon a ray, and then, instead’ of returning to the body as usual, 
drop off into the water, and develop into a “perfect Actinospheerium, 
in the same manner as those ejected in a mass from the body. 
