1 20 Miscellaneous. 



well-known structure of the Daphnidse, and their peculiarities thus 

 completely explained morphologically. The principal difference which 

 leads physiologically to new conditions of embryonic nourishment, 

 and is also of importance with regard to the external form of the body, 

 consists in the transformation of the brood-chamber, bounded by 

 the skin of the back and the inferior lamella of the shell, into a 

 uterus-like sac, the cellular wall of which (liypodermis) becomes a 

 nutrient organ of the ova and embryos, either throughout its whole 

 extent {Podon, Evadne), or only in the ventral lamella, which is in 

 contact with the intestine. 



The nervous system could be traced in its whole course in all 

 four genera. The brain is followed by a subo3sophageal ganglion, 

 which is united to it by short broad oesophageal commissures, and 

 by the ventral ganglionic chain, the four inflations of which, united 

 by transverse commissures, emit nerves for the limbs. The last and 

 smallest pair of ganglia also sends forth nerves to the abdomen and 

 to the tactile setae of the postabdomcn. 



The crystalline cones of the large movable eye consist throughout 

 of five segments ; the nervous rods belonging to them show lamellar 

 structure. 



The shell-gland was traced in all the genera in its whole length 

 to its orifice. In its course it presents characteristic peculiarities 

 in each genus and species, but consists throughout of the ampulli- 

 form sac, the inner and outer looped canal, the terminal duet, and 

 the short narrow efferent tube. The dilated terminal duct, ex- 

 tended after the fashion of a reservoir, contains large shining uri- 

 nary concretions in Podon and Evadyie. 



The adherent organ of Evadne and Podon is not a sucking-cup 

 with radiating muscles, but an excretory organ composed of large 

 glandidar cells with 'streaky protoplasm. In Evadne nine or ten 

 cells are usually employed in its formation ; their conically decreased 

 secreting ends arc applied to the well-known cuticular disk. 



The ova, as in the Daphnidoe, are produced in four-celled cham- 

 bers of the ovary, but are extraordinarily small when they pass into 

 the brood-chamber, where an abundant supply of nourishment is 

 furnished to the developing embryo by secretion from the walls. 

 In Evadne the embryo becomes pregnant while still in the body of 

 the mother, and is usually born with four ova in process of segmen- 

 tation in the uterus. 



The formation of the winter egg in Evadne takes place by ab- 

 sorption-processes of the neighbouring egg-chamber. — Kais. Alad. 

 der Wiss. in Wien, Oct. 26, 1876. 



On the Colydiidae of New Zealand. By D. Sharp. 



In the ' Annals,' July 1876, p. 22, I established a new genus of 

 Colydiidge, with the name Epistrophus. I find this word has 

 already been used by Kirsch for a genus of Curculionidse ; and I 

 propose therefore for the genus of Colydiida? above alluded to the 

 name of Epistranus in place of Epistrophus. 



