434 



NA TV RE 



[August 30, 1894 



On Thursday, in addition to the Presidential Address 

 (Nature, p. 371), the following reports of Committees were 

 taken : — 



(1) The Naples Zoological Station. This contains an inter- 

 esting letter from Dr. Dohrn on the future maintenance and 

 administration of the station, statistics as to the work of the 

 station during the past year, and an account by Mr. J- E. S. 

 Moore of his investigations on the reduction division in 

 cartilaginous fishes. He tinds that the spermatogenesis stops 

 short at a point corresponding to the formation of the first 

 ovio'te in ovigenesis, and also that the archoplasmic vesicle of 

 the Elasmobranch spermatid has an intranuclear origin, while in 

 the mammalia it is of purely cytoplasmic construction. 



(2) The Plymouth Biological Laboratory. This report con- 

 tains a preliminary notice of Dr. Hick<on's investigation of the 

 anatomy and development of Ahyoniiim, and of Mr. Allen's 

 researches on the later stages in the development of Decapod 

 Crustacea. Mr. Allen's work has been chiefly on the cells and 

 fibres of the central nervous system. 



(3) The Zoology of the Sandwich Islands. Mr. Perkins has 

 continued his explorations since the last report, and the 

 Committee now propose that he should return to this country 

 and give assistance in working out the extensive collections 

 formed. 



(4) The Zoology and Botany of the West Indies. Since last 

 year ten reports have been published, on the insects and plants, 

 chiefly from St. Vincent. The Committee have still to deal 

 with the Coleoplera, and propose to explore Margarita. 



(5) Index Generum et Specierum Animalium. The MS. 

 consists now of 180,000 slips, representing 90,000 genera and 

 species. 



In the Zoological Department, Prof. Hubrecht (Utrecht) 

 read a paper on the didermic blastocyte in mammalia, in 

 which he showed the distinctness of the trophoblast cells from 

 the embryonic cells of the blastoderm. Mr. \V. Garstang, in a 

 paper on the ancestry of the Chordata, gave reasons for his 

 conclusion that the Echinoderms, Enteropncusta, and Chordata 

 trace back their descent to a common pelagic ancestor which 

 had many striking points of resemblance to the Ilolothurian 

 larva " Auricularia. " 



Mr. \V. E. Collinge read papers on the structure of the 

 integument in Polyodon, in which he showed that the 

 occurrence of scale-plates was very similar to those found in 

 the embryos of Ltpidosleus, &c., and indicated a relationship 

 to the Palaroniscidx of the coal measures ; and on the 

 vertebra; of AmphisiU, in which the unique character of the 

 vertebral column of this fish was described and the views of 

 previous writers criticised. 



In the Botanical Department, Prof. Johnstone showed 

 Algx which deposit calcareous matter in their tissues, and so 

 probably are better able to resist the attacks of animals. He 

 also exhibited Alga: which are able to dissolve calcareous 

 matter and bore mmule holes in the shells of Mollusca. In a 

 second communication he discussed the genus Pogotrichuiii. 

 Prof. Phillips described the great variety found in the 

 development of the cyslocarps of Polysiplioiiia nigrticciis and 

 other species. .Mr. A. Church exhibited collections of Alg.x. 



On Friday a joint meeting of zoologists and botanists was 

 held to discuss a few important papers dealing with protoplasm, 

 Uie cell, an<l allied matters. 



Prof. E. Van Beneden led olTwilh a paper on the relations of 

 protoplasm, in which he gave an account of his observations on 

 the phenomena seen in the division of cells. lie regards the 

 nucleus as being not an independent organ in the cell, but .as 

 closely connected with the ordinary protoplasm. .Some dis- 

 cussion folloued, and, on llie whole, the opinions expressed 

 were highly favourable to Van lienedcn's view. 



Prof. Siravburgcr followed next, on the periodic variation 

 in the numlwr of chromosomes. lie thinks that the reduction 

 in ihe number of chromosomes in sexual generation has a 

 phylogcnetic interpretation, and is a recurrence to the primitive 

 numlxr of chromosomes possessed when the organism was 

 asexual only. Me considered that many cases of asexual plants 

 were to be regarded as due to ihc loss of sexuality. 



The third paper was Prof. Kay l.ankesler's, on chlorophyll 

 in animals, lie gave an account of its occurrence in sevcralt 

 groups of the Invertcbrata, and pointed out that in these cascsi 

 starch is prixluced as in plants, and that the animal does not 

 become green if kept in Ihc dark, lie referred to the view 



NO, 1296, VOL. 50] 



that all such cases were to be explained by the presence of 

 unicellular par.asitic alg;e, but pointed out that these arguments 

 would apply as well to the presence of chlorophyll iu plants, 

 and he urged that the same interpret.ition should be given to 

 the facts in the case of animals as in plants. 



In the Zoological Department, Prof. K. Van Beneden read a 

 paper on the origin and morphological signification of the 

 notochord He described the formation of the notochord 

 and mesoblast in some bats from the external layer (app.irently 

 epiblast). He proposed that the two embryonic layers should 

 be called blastophore and lecithophore. He also instituted 

 a comparison with the young Amfhioxus and Ceriaalhus (where 

 the axis corresponds to the long axis of the vertebrate body), 

 and pointed out how their essential similarity bore out the con- 

 clusions as to the origin of the Chordata reached by Sedgwick 

 fifteen years ago. 



Prof. Struthers gave a paper on the carpus of the Green- 

 land right whale compared with that of finner whales. 

 He showed that the arrangement of the cartilages in the wrist 

 has no function.al significance (the carpus merely functioning as 

 a whole), and can only be explained by descent with modifica- 

 tion from the less rudimentary condition seen in other mammals. 

 He showed that the pisiform is actually the most important 

 element, and the only one which has a distinct function. 



Miss Kirkaldy gave a critical account of the various species 

 of Amphioxus. She described in all eight species, referable to 

 three genera (Brandiiosloma, Hctcroplcuron, and Asymmelron), 

 one of which, Heteroplctiron SiiigaUnse, she considered to be 

 new to science. 



In the Botanical Department, Miss Benson described her 

 investigations on the fertilisation of the Chalazogamic .\men- 

 tifera;, and showed that the pollen tube passes through the 

 chalaza in Coiyliis, Carpiiius, h'elula, and Alniis. Miss Pertz 

 had a paper on the hygroscopic dispersal of fruits in certain 

 Labiata.', in which she showed that there are cases where the 

 capsule opens when moist ; and Dr. J. Clark gave an account 

 of his investigations on the hybridis.ilion of orchids. 



On Saturday, in the Zoological Department, after the reports 

 (l) on the migrations of birds as observed at lighthouses (the 

 digest of which has at length been completed by Mr. Eagle 

 Clark), and (2) on the legislative protection of wild birds' eggs 

 (in which the recent Bill was explained and criticised by Prof. 

 Newton, Canon Tristram, and others), the following papers on 

 the occurrence, distribution, &c. , of marine animals were 

 taken : — 



On a tow-net for opening and closing under water, by Mr. 

 W. E. Hoyle. Mr. Hoyle described his electrical tow-net, and 

 explained that he was now waiting for an opportunity of getting 

 into water of over loo fathoms depth in a steamer fitted with 

 electric power. 



On temperature as a factor in the distribution of marine ani- 

 mals, by Dr. O. Maas (Munich). Dr. Maas considers that 

 the great ocean currents are of jirimary importance in limit- 

 ing the distribution of free-swimming forms, different species 

 being found to north and south of them, lie attributes greater 

 importance to temperature than to pressure, lie points out 

 that the existence of eurythcrmal and stenothermal animals 

 must be borne in mind, and that in drawing conclusions as to 

 distribution all animals arc not equally important. 



On the marine zoology of the Irish Sea, by Prof. \V. A. 

 Herdman. The object in this investigation has been not merely 

 lo collect animals, but to investigate the condition of the sea. 

 bottom in the various parts of the area, and correlate, if possible, 

 the fauna with the environment. This report of the year's work 

 gives (i) details of the dredging expeditions, (2) additions to the 

 fauna — these include four new species oi Edtinosoma, one of 

 liradya, one of I'ieuilocyclopia, one new Amphipod, Nannonyx 

 spiiiimmnis, and one liopyrian, Pleiirocrypla /«.vij — and (3), 

 finally, a discussion of the submnrine deposits met with, their 

 nature, distribution, origin, and influence upon the fauna. The 

 importance of the n.iture of the bottom to the animals living 

 on it is specially emph.asioed. 



Prof. Nl'Iiitosh gave an account of Ihe recent marine fish- 

 balching operations of the Scottish I'ishery Board at Dunbar. 

 He described the ponds and buildings, their mechanism and 

 he miivcnicnts of the hatching-boxes, and gave statistics show 

 ng how remarkably successful the first season's operations had 

 been. 



In the Botanical Department papers were read by Prof. L. 



