528 
NATURE 
strated from minute study of their characters. The species are 
Tubifex rivulorum, T. umbellatus and Linmodrilus, sp. incert. ; 
the last very abundant. Mr. Lankester then mentioned the 
gregarinz of these worms, and the discovery of their psendo- 
nayiculz having long stiff processes, so that they run into the 
worms like pins, and in this way penetrate into previously unin- 
fested worms. The formation of the spermatophors of this 
group of Annelids (the Oligochzeta) discovered by Mr. Lankester 
—Professor Claparede having mistaken them for Opalinoid para- 
sites—was also detailed. 
Department of Anatomy and Physiology 
On the Embryonal Development of the Hematozvon ( Bilharzia). 
—Dr. Cobbold. After commencing with a general description of 
this remarkable parasite, Dr. Cobbold proceeded to notice the 
manner in which the larvee escaped from the eggs ; and also their 
subseqient activity and remarkable alterations of form and 
structure. He had obtained ample evidence of the existence of a 
complicated water-vascular system, similar to that described by 
Dr. Guido Wagener, as occurring in the larva of Diflodiscus. 
The prevalence of the Bilharzia disorder in Egypt and at the 
Cape was well known ; and it had recently been suggested by 
Dr. Aitkin, that these parasites had some connection with the 
so-called Delhi boils. He refrained {rom entering into profes- 
sional details in this matter : but stated that he had performed a 
large number of feeding experiments on small fishes, crustaceze, 
and molluscs, with the view of putting the question of injection 
beyond the region of mere conjecture. Dr. Cobbold added that 
he had obtained for a month past about 10,000 eggs of Bilharzia 
daily, from a case under his care. 
Dr. Cobbold exhibited the heart of a dog filled with Hee- 
matozoa causing the animal’s death. He had received the 
specimen from Mr. Robert Swinhoe, H.B.M. Consul at 
Amoy, China, accompanied by a note from the donor, 
stating that the dog ‘‘died on the 18th of April, 1869, at 
Shanghai, <fter three days of great suffering.” Hitherto, fol- 
lowing the authority of M. Bohe-Moorea Diesing and other 
systematists, he had been accustomed to regard this form of ento- 
zoon as the species called Speroptera sanguinolenta ; but, in the 
author’s opinion, this view would have to be changed. He 
hoped, betore long, to be able, by further investigation, to set 
this point at rest. The presence of entozoa in the heart and 
blood-vessels of animals and man is much more common than is 
supposed. Thus, MM. Grube and Delafond, who examined 
480 dogs, found Filaricze present in nearly 5 per cent. Most of 
these parasites, however, were of microscopic size ; being pro- 
bably the brood of the species marked /i/aria sanguinis in Dr. 
Cobbold’s list. They estimated that these verminiferous dogs 
severally harboured from 11,000 to 224,000 of these larval haema- 
tozoa, 
Note on Methemoglobin.—Mr. E. Ray Lankester. It was shown 
that carbonic acid, when passed through a solution of oxyhaemo- 
globin, gave rise to two new bands in addition to those of the 
oxyhzmoglobin itself. This was the nitrite-heemoglobin of Dr, 
Gamgee, and the brown cruorine of Mr. Sorby, also identical 
with methemoglobin as described by Preyer. Addition of a 
minute quantity of acetic acid to this solution caused the disap- 
pearance of the oxyhemoglobin bands and intensification of the 
two new bands, which are those of what really was originally 
calied methemoglobin by Hoppe Seyler. It can be formed by 
the passage of CO, alone if a weak solution of haemoglobin is 
used, as was done by Heynsius, who mistook this product for 
hematin. Its band in red is not identical with that of hama- 
tin as supposed by Hoppe Seyler and Heynsius, and all previous 
observers, including Hoppe Seyler, Preyer, Gamgee, and Sorby 
have missed the second band in blue (the fourth of the mixture 
of oxyhzmogiobin and methzemoglobin) now figured and de- 
scribed. It was shown that no separation of an albumen accom- 
panies the change of hzemoglobin into methemoglobin, whilst 
hematin resulis solely from a splitting up of the hamoglobin 
into it and an albumen. 
The action of certain Vapours and Gases on the red Blood Cor- 
puscles.—Mr. E. Ray Lankester. These experiments were made 
with Stricker’s gas chamber, which enables the observer to study 
gradual changes, caused by gaseous reagents, as to the change of 
form caused by atmospheric air in the red corpuscle of the frog, 
which had been acted on first by CO, as observed by Stricker, 
was shown to be equally produced by hydrogen, or by carbonic 
oxide, or by diminution of pressure, hence it was simply to be 
; 
| 
ascribed to the diffusion of the carbonic acid. The action of 
cyanogen gas, carbonic oxide, alcohol vapour, chloroform vapour, 
and especially of ammonia vapour, was described. A distinction 
was insisted on between mere definition of the nucleus—as caused 
by some agents—and granulation of the nucleus. The normal 
living frog’s red corpuscles was inferred to be wswal/y free from 
any appearance of definition of the nucleus, and to be devoid of 
an envelope or zecoid, though owing its form to a remarkable con- 
dition of tension, which was readily destroyed by physical agents. 
On the Relations of Fins of Fishes to one another.—Professor 
Humphry. 
Department of Ethnology and Anthropology 
The Pre-Turkish Frontagers of Persia.—Mr. H. Howorth. 
In continuation of the previous paper the author showed with the 
assistance of Vivien St. Martin, Thomas, Prinsep, &c., that after 
the first century, the Indo-Scyths were called Kouschauk by the 
Armenians, Koneichang by the Chinese, that their great king 
Kanichka who was a convert to Buddhism, and introduced that 
religion into China and Thibet, was, with his reople, previously 
a fire-worshipper, and that the form of Mithraism, which was 
introduced at Rome by Pompey and derived by him, in the first 
instance, from the Parthians, was the original religion of the 
Massagetze and the Indo-Scyths. 
On the decay of the power of the Indo-Scyths, the remains of 
the nation were conquered by the Avares or White Huns, and 
are called by Procopius, Priscu, and Cosmas, White Huns, and 
Ephtalita, and by the Persians Hainthelah. The etymology of 
these names shows they were the Yuetchi or Massagetee, led and 
governed by a caste of Huns. 
In latter days these White Huns are to be identified with the 
Khazars, the ancestors of the Circassians. Thus the Circassians 
are proved to be lineal descendants of the Massagetee. That the 
Circassians are allied to the Thibetans was long ago showed by Mr, 
Hodgson inthe Journal of the Asiatic Society. This is the first 
time their genealogy as a race has been clearly traced out, and it 
opens up a new light on Asiatic Ethnography. 
On the Manx of the Isle of Man.—Dr. King. 
SECTION G.—MECHANICAL SCIENCE 
On Ashton and Storey’s Steam-Power Meter.—Mr. Ashton. 
The apparatus described in this paper, as its name implies, 
shows at all times the measure of the power developed by the 
steam engine to which it is applied, and registers the aggregate 
of that power during any required period of time. The mecha- 
nisim is very like that of a well-balanced chronometer. The 
whole of the indicating mechanism is very light, and mounted - 
so as, to move with great freedom ; and the power required to 
work it is exceedingly small. Its indications would be especially 
valuable in the case of steamships. The apparatus has been in 
practical use about a year. 
In the discussion which followed this paper the invention was 
very highly praised. 
CONTENTS 
Tue REPRESENTATION OF SCIENCE AT THE ScHoot Boarp. By Dr, 
Pace 
FE} GANKESTER: BURSS:, cap Mee) a) Sekt leet neo 509 
THE GuactaTION OF Brazit. By A. R. Wattace, F.G.S. . . sIo 
Mopern AnGtinc. By Dr. A. GuNTHER, F.R.S. . . . . = 512 
LETTERS TO THE EpiTor :-— - 
Yhe Government and the Eclipse Expedition. — Lieut.-Col. A. 
STRANGE! EVRIS 2 6, Cecg he crea eae econ tay” «ate 
The Geological Bearings of recent Deep-Sea Explorations.—Dr. 
W. B. CakPENTER, F.R.S. . operas le ky let his, cana CRE 
On a Method of ascertaining the Rate of Ascent of F.uid in 
Plants:— Dr. ‘Wi [ROM“NAB iS a eee ap a se 
The Aurora Rorealis—T. W. Puiurrs; Rev. R. Main; W. 
PENGELUY UF RIS.) oo 05, ea ote ee) a ea 
Tue AMERICAN GGVERNMENT EcLIPSE EXPEDITION . . . +. +» 517 
SPECTROSCOPIC OPSERVATIONS OF THE SuN. By J. N. Lockyer, F.R.S. 517 
Dr. W. AvLEx MitierR. . , Pree ee, tee etre SF 
AUGUSTUS MATTHIESSEN: 24! Gs a. 8) sis ey coe ss ee 
Britisu Eprsce Funct. By the Rev.C. J. Ropinson, F.L.S. (With 
Illustrations.) « Sel fui yah hota tae to). eke gare nbs, ay Soe termeS 
NOTES! = sous 520 
Pror. ZOELLNER ON THE Sun’s TEMPERATURE AND PrysIcAL Con- 
STITUTION a 
Me Nd yn PRE AOU RC La ko 522 
Tue British ASSOCIATION :—SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS . . 
A é 526—528 
ee SS oo 
. 
ERrata.—Page 464, second column, line 30, for “monodont” read 
“ homodont” ; line 35, for “ but its analogue in front has” read “‘but, un- 
like its nalcgue n front, has,” 
4 B32 ~~ 
| Oct. 27, 1870 | 
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