AUGUST 21, 1902] 
NATURE 
7 
395 
notochord, the alimentary canal and the primitive bran- 
chial slits of those two apparently unrelated animals is 
shown by the method of tracing the exact derivation of 
the cells constituting those organs in the two cases. 
Kowalevsky published several embryological memoirs 
on Sagitta, Alcyonians, Holothurians, Argiope, Hydro- 
philus, Chiton and other forms, in which exact observa- 
tion of the cell-lineage was his purpose and his result. 
His writings are singularly free from generalising theory ; 
his delight and his power lay in the making and record- 
ing of exact observations destined to build up our under- 
standing of animal structure on a sound basis. His 
later zoological researches included some minute studies 
on the anatomy of the vascular system in insects and 
some novel and important researches on the phagocytes 
of lower animals. He collaborated for a time with 
Marion, of Marseilles, and wrote with him on the 
Neomenians (Solenogastres). He was the discoverer 
of the planariform dwarf male of Bonellia, and was the 
first to describe the anatomy of the Balanoglossus of 
Della Chiaje and to demonstrate its perforate pharynx. 
In his last years he was occupied with researches on 
the structure of the leeches (especially the rare and 
extremely interesting setigerous leeches of the genus 
Acanthobdella) from Russian fresh waters, and on some 
other strange worm-like forms (the Hedylidz) from the 
Sea of Marmora. 
Alexander Onufrievitch Kowalevsky was born on 
November 20, 1840, in a country house situated not 
far from Witebsk, in the north-west of Russia. His 
father was a Pole and his mother a Russian. After 
his early education at home he was placed at the 
Engineering School of Roads and Highways at St. 
Petersburg. But he preferred the study of science 
to a practical career, and entered the faculty of natural 
sciences of the University. The University disturb- 
ances of 1861 obliged Alexander Kowalevsky to quit 
Russia and pursue his studies abroad. He went in 
the first instance to Heidelberg, where he was for some 
time a pupil of Bunsen. He actually published two 
small memoirs of a purely chemical nature under the 
guidance of the great German chemist. But very soon 
Kowalevsky’s taste for zoology and comparative anatomy 
declared itself. After studying with Bronn and with 
Pagenstecker, Kowalevsky passed on to Tubingen, 
where he became the assiduous pupil of Leydig (still 
living and honoured in his old age). It is there that 
the young Russian learnt histological methods and pre- 
pared himself for his delicate researches on the anatomy 
and embryology of the lower animals. In 1864 he 
published in Russian his first zoological work, which 
was entitled “The Anatomy of Idothea.” The paper 
contains anatomical details as to this Isopod, which is 
very common in the Bay of Finland. After having 
“passed his licentiate” (the equivalent of a bachelor’s 
degree in England) at St. Petersburg, Kowalevsky went 
in 1864 to Naples with a definitely-thought-out pro- 
gramme of researches on the lower animals. He spent 
about eighteen months there (there was no Stazione 
Zoologica in those days), and it is there that he carried 
out his beautiful researches on the embryology of 
Amphioxus and of many other marine forms (Argiope, 
Sagitta, Holothurians, &c.), and also made his important 
discoveries as to the anatomy of Balanoglossus (reveal- 
ing for the first time its curious branchial structure), 
which he subsequently published. In 1865 he had to 
return to St. Petersburg to pass his examination for the 
degree of “‘magister zoologiz,” and presented his memoir 
on Amphioxus as his inaugural thesis. He then re- 
turned to Naples, and at Ischia in 1866 he made his 
researches on the development of Ascidia, which he 
published in the course of the same year. It was this 
memoir, taken in conjunction with his similar discoveries 
with regard to Amphioxus, which startled the zoological 
NO. 1712, VOL. 66] 
world, led to the recognition of the Ascidians as Verte- 
brata, gave a new impulse and direction to embryological 
research, and among other things led to the develop- 
ment of the important doctrine of degeneration as 
applied to other than parasitic animals. 
An epitome of Kowalevsky’s researches on Ascidia 
and Amphioxus was written by Prof. Michael Foster at 
the request of the editors of the Quarterly Journal of 
Microscopical Science in 1870, and zoologists were divided 
into those who had and those who had not “bowed the 
knee to Kowalevsky.” Kowalevsky, after being for a 
time “ privat docent” at the University of St. Petersburg, 
was appointed professor extraordinarius at Kazan in 
1868, professor ordinarius at Kiev in 1869, and at 
Odessa in 1874. He remained at Odessa until 1890, 
when he was made “titular member” of the Academy of 
Sciences of St. Petersburg. He was professor of his- 
tology during two years at the University of St. Peters- 
burg, but later concentrated his activity on the Academy 
of Sciences and occupied himself much with the bio- 
logical station at Sebastopol, of which he was director. 
Besides being a foreign member of the Royal Society, 
Kowalevsky was a member and correspondent of a great 
number of scientific academies, and was decorated by the 
Emperor of Germany with the order “pour le merite.” 
He was married in 1868 and was the father of one son 
and two daughters. His son is a chemist, and one of 
his daughters (Madame Tchistovitch) is a doctor of 
medicine ; the other is married to M. Cheviakoff. The cele- 
brated mathematician Sophie Kowalevsky was the wife 
of a younger brother of Alexander Kowalevsky, the same 
who published some valuable work on mammalian palze- 
ontology about thirty years ago and died a few years 
later. 
Personally Kowalevsky was a man of retiring disposi- 
tion, devoted to his microscopic work, and of the most 
gentle and courteous address. He visited England with 
one of his daughters in October, 1895, for a few days, but 
took alarm at the dangers of the London streets and left 
somewhat abruptly. 
The writer is indebted to his and Kowalevsky’s friend, 
Prof. Elias Metschnikoff, of the Institut Pasteur, Paris, 
for the biographical details above given. Prof. Metsch- 
nikoff is preparing a biography of Kowalevsky for 
publication. A list of Kowalevsky’s publications is 
given below. E. Ray LANKESTER. 
List of Papers by Alexander Onufrievitch Kowalevsky. 
(1) Anatomy of the marine cockroach /dothea entomon, and 
list of the Crustacea which are met with in the freshwaters of 
the St. Petersburg Government. [In Russian] (Zstest. zzslyed. 
St. Petersh. ghub. (Russ. Entomol. Obshchest. S. Petersb.), 
1864, Tom. i). 
(2) Le développement de l’Amphioxus lanceolatus. (Archives 
Scz. Phys. Nat., xxvii. 1866, pp. 193-195 ; Ann. Mag. Nat. 
Hist., xix. 1867, pp. 69-70; St. Pétersb. Acad. Sct. Mém., 
xi. 1868, No. 4). 
(3) Beitrage zur Anatomie und Entwickelungsgeschichte des 
Loxosoma Neapolitanum, sp. n. [1865.] (St. Pétersb. Acad. 
Sci. Mém., x. 1867, No. 2). 
(4) Anatomie des Balanoglossus, Delle Chiaje. [1866 } 
(St. Pétersh. Acad. Sci. Mém., x. 1867, No. 3; Ann. Mag. Nat. 
Hist. xx. 1867, pp. 230-232). 
(5) Entwickelungsgeschichte der Rippenquallen. [1865.} 
(St. Pétersb. Acad. Sci. Mém., x. 1867, No. 4; Ann. Mag. 
Nat. Hist., xx. 1867, pp. 228-229). 
(6) Entwickelungsgeschichte der einfachen Ascidien. [1866.} 
(St. Pétersb. Acad. Sci. Mém., x. 1867, No. 15; Quarterly 
Journ. Microsc. Sct , x. 1870, pp. 59-69). 
(7) Untersuchungen tiber die Entwickelung der Ccelenteraten. 
(Gottingen, Wachrichten, 1868, pp. 154-159). 
(8) Beitrag zur Entwickelungsgeschichte der Tunicaten. 
(Gottingen, Nachrichten, 1868, pp. 401-415; Halle, Zeztschr. 
Gesammt. Naturwiss., xxxii. 1868, pp. 343-344). 
(9) Beitrage zur Entwickelungsgeschichte der Holothurien. 
[1866.] (S¢. Pétersb. Acad. Sct. Mém., xi. 1868, No. 6). 
