136 Miscellaneous. 



body becomes covered with a white, milky, and viscous liquid. 

 This is the poison, with which the tips of the arrows are imbued as 

 quickly as possible. Sometimes they obtain a greater quantity of 

 this substance, if the animal has not succumbed under the first 

 operation, by introducing a bodkin into one of the abdominal limbs, 

 which induces a secretion of the same kind upon its surface. At 

 other times, again, the same result is attained by exposing the frog 

 to the moderate heat and the smoke of a clear fire *. 



This poison can cause the death of large animals, such as the 

 jaguar. It is likewise fatal to man. 



Experiments tried upon animals seem to prove, like those made 

 with curare, that the toxical action affects the organs of move- 

 ment, and not those of sensibility. The drowsiness and sleep which 

 precede the death of animals poisoned by the venom of toads were 

 not observed. — Comjptes Rendus, June 21, 1869, tome Ixviii. p. 1488. 



An Hermaphrodite Nemertean from the Mediterranean. 

 By A. F. Marion. 



Prof. W. Keferstein lately described (Archiv fUr Naturgeschichte, 

 1868), under the name oiBorlasia hermaphrodltica, a curious monoe- 

 cious species, of which he only observed a single individual, at St. 

 Malo in August 1867. This unexpected discovery has hitherto re- 

 mained an isolated fact. 



In March of the present year I discovered, on the coast of Mar- 

 seilles, a new hermaphrodite Nemertean, which I have since ob- 

 tained several times, always in full gestation. This species belongs 

 to the genus Borlasia ; but it is distinct from the B. hermaphroditica 

 of St. Malo, as is admitted by M. Keferstein himself, to whom I am 

 happy to be able to dedicate it. Borlasia Kefersteinii lives at great 

 depths, among the incrusted Algae which usually shelter numerous 

 Annelida of both the errant and sedentary forms. 



Its body, which is very proteiform, attains a length of 15 milli- 

 metres when the animal is fully extended. It is covered with 

 vibratile ciHa, which are more numerous and longer in front round 

 the aperture of the proboscis, and behind round the anal orifice. 

 The head bears two pairs of eyes, furnished with a crystaUine and a 

 mass of black pigment. The proboscis is placed above the digestive 

 tube, and seems sometimes to extend even to the lower extremity of 

 the body. The anterior region of this organ is covered with tufts, 

 which become interrupted and disappear a little below the stylus. 



The male and female ovules are developed between the hepatic 

 layer of the digestive tube and the walls of the body, in the usual 

 manner. The female ovules, when completely developed, measure 

 0-317 millim., and consist of a vitelline membrane, a viteUus (which 



* This last process has been indicated by M. Roulin as being employed 

 by the Indians who wish to obtain from the Batrachians of the Choco 

 the venom with which they poison their arrows (Revue des Deux Mondes, 

 1835, ser. 4. tome iv. p. 187). 



