368 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— D. 



Mr. R. J. Whitney. — Research in experimental Zoology in progress at 

 Birmingham University (11.30). 



Professor H. Munro Fox has been responsible for the initiation at 

 Birmingham of several lines of research concerned with the metabolism 

 of aquatic animals. At present he is himself investigating the metabolic 

 and developmental rates of animals from different latitudes. 



Dr. Minnie L. Johnson is re-investigating the function of haemoglobin 

 iii the earthworm, employing modern experimental methods. 



Miss Rosalie F. Griffith, continuing Professor Fox's earlier work on 

 chlorocruorin, is studying its respiratory function in Sabella. 



Mr. Cecil A. Wingfield, continuing earlier work initiated by Professor 

 Fox and others, is examining the differences between pond and stream 

 animals from the point of view of available oxygen. Mr. Reginald J. 

 Whitney treats the same problem from the point of view of prevailing 

 temperature. 



Mr. H. G. Newth is determining the factors initiating the swarming of 

 Vorticella which he and Professor Fox have observed. 



Dr. D. L. Gunn, with others, is continuing his earlier work on the 

 behaviour of terrestrial arthropods towards temperature and air humidity. 

 He is also re-investigating the avoiding reaction of Paramecium. 



Dr. Otto Lowenstein is investigating the functions of the semicircular 

 canals in fishes, and is also taking up research on the tunicate nervous 

 system. 



Mr. L. C. Beadle. — Experiments on the growth and differentiation of 

 hydroid tissues (12.0). 



Experiments have been done mainly with the brackish water hydroid 

 Cordylophora lacustris. Like some other hydroids and sponges the tissue 

 (in this case the coenosarc) can be dissociated into minute fragments which 

 will aggregate into masses and ultimately reconstitute new individuals. 

 Contrary to the conclusions of previous workers on hydroids the ex- 

 periments indicate that the cells do not dedifferentiate to an embryonic 

 condition, but that those of each layer maintain their own individuality 

 throughout dissociation and reconstitution. That the so-called ' inter- 

 stitial ' cells form a reserve of totipotent regenerative cells seems to be 

 disproved. The position from which the new hydranth develops from a 

 naass, normally unpredictable, can be determined by the engrafting of an 

 oral cone. This therefore acts as an ' organiser.' Experiments done to 

 throw some light upon the nature of this action show that it does not depend 

 upon the orientation of the graft and that a variety of inhibiting agents 

 have a more powerful action upon the self-organising capacity of the mass 

 than upon the organising action of the engrafted cone. 



Dr. F. D. Ommaney. — Seasonal movements of Copepoda in the Antarctic 



(12.30). 



In the Antarctic zone the movenaents of the plankton are in general 

 influenced by two water layers — ' Antarctic Surface Water,' flowing north- 

 wards and eastwards above 250 m., and ' Warm Deep Water ' flowing south- 

 wards below that depth. It has already been demonstrated that several species 

 of macroplanktonic organisms inhabit the Antarctic surface water in summer 

 and sink into the warm deep water in winter so that a circulation of the 

 plankton is established. During the recent voyage of the R.R.S. ' Dis- 

 covery II ' this circulation was further studied in relation to certain Copepod 



