Miscellaneous. 337 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Note on Mr. Minchiti's Paper on Ascetta. 

 By R. V. Lenueni'Eld. 



In the ' Quarterlj^ Journal of Microscopical Science ' (vol. xxxii. 

 p. 260) Mr, Miiichiii argues against the statement — made, as he 

 says, T)y me — tliat the central cavity of Euplectdla asjierc/illum is a 

 pseudoscular tul)e forming part of the inhalant system. 



In reply to this I must observe that I never said anything of the 

 kind, and that in perusing the passages of my ' Monograph of Horny 

 Sponges,' from which Mincliin quotes, I fail to see how he could so 

 far misunderstand my statements. What I do say is " that I think it 

 may not he impossible that in some of the cup-shaped or tubular 

 Hexacti mllida " the central cavity may be pseudoscular (inhalant). 

 I never said that the central cavity is inhalant in any Hexacti- 

 nelUd, not to speak of Euplectella, where such an assumption would 

 be quite preposterous. 



As a foreigner I am unable to express myself in English as 

 clearly as I might desire ; but nevertheless I feel that in this case 

 some hostile motive must have prompted Minchin to so surprising 

 an interpretation of my statements. 



I can only say, (1) that I never doubted the exhalant nature of 

 the central cavity in Euplectella ; (2) that I fail to see how any one 

 can gather from my statements such a meaning as Minchin imputes 

 to them ; (3) that I uphold all my statements and conclusions on 

 this subject as correct and logical ; and (4) that I regret to see a 

 misinterpretation of this kind used by a student of natural history 

 as a Aveapou in a scientific controversy. 



University, Innsbruck, 

 March 8, 1892. 



Gymnorhynchus reptans, Rud., and its Migration. 

 By M. E. MoNiEz. 



Among the parasites of marine fishes one of the most curious is 

 certainly Gymnorhynchus reptans, which is harboured by several 

 hosts, and is in particular very common in the rough sun-fish 

 (Orthagoriscus mola), in which it inhabits by preference the liver and 

 muscles. This species is distinguished from the other species of 

 Tetrarhynchidae which are known in the larval state by the curious 

 appendage which is found at the extremity of the vesicle into which 

 the animal retracts the anterior portion of its body, after the manner 

 of a Cysticercus. This appendage, which, in our species, may attain 

 the length of a metre, forms an inextricable network in the tissues 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. ix. 25 



