748 



SCIENC£. 



fVoi.. II., No. 44. 



this haematiii, Hoppe-Seyler's liaeraato-porpliyrin 

 Tvas obtained; it is practically identical with Thudi- 

 cum's crnentin. When neutral dried criientin is' 

 boiled with equal parts of rectified spirit and acetic 

 acid, a five-banded spectrum was obtained, similar to 

 if not identical with that of Preyer's iron-free haema- 

 tin. Bilirubin is identical with haeraatoidin. There 

 are several lutein pigments; for example, that of the 

 hen's egg is different from that of the corpus luteum 

 of the cow. Tetronerythrin is very widely spread, 

 occurring in ' the roses ' around the eyes of certain 

 birds, in the skin of the red mullet, and in many in- 

 vertebrates; it is apparently capable of performing 

 respiratory functions, somewhat like haemaglobin. 

 Its presence in the crust of lobsters and crabs is note- 

 worthy. The various classes of invertebrates are 

 taken up in succession, the following being the prin- 

 cipal pigments described: chlorophyll, pentacrinin, 

 cruentin (in starfishes), echinochrome, cochineal, 

 aphidein, bonellein, haemocyanin {in blood of Octo- 

 pus), aplysiopurpurin, dermolutein, etc. Numerous 

 spectra are reproduced in the charts. In an appended 

 note, it is stated that chlorophyll is found in the liver 

 of mollusks: c/. Eoyal society's proceedings, April 5, 

 1883. — {Proc. Birmingham nat. hist, soc, iii. 351.) 

 c. s. M. [452 



Mollnsks. 



Abyssal mollusks. — Dr. Jeffreys continues his 

 valuable papers on the deep-sea mollusks of the 

 Lightning and Porcupine expeditions. The last in- 

 stalment includes the Scissiu'ellidae, Trochidae, Tur- 

 binidae, and Littorinidae, with two fine plates on 

 which are figured twenty-one new forms. Several 

 new genera are described. Tharsis Jeffreys has a 

 closed umbilicus and appressed peristome, which 

 separate it from Cyclostrema: the type is Oystele 

 romettensis Seguenza. Ganesa is like a very mi- 

 nute, delicate Lunatia, with a perforate axis. Can- 

 trainea is suggested for Turbo peloritanus Cantraine. 

 Hela Jeffreys, beside being pre-occupied, j)roves to be 

 identical with the Japanese Cithna A. Ad. Iphitus 

 Jeffreys is a minute form, resembling Fossarus or a 

 miniature Tectarius, with a peculiar apex and sub- 

 spiral operculum. — {Proc. zobl. soc. Lond., March, 

 1SS3. ) w. H. D. [453 



Further researches on nudibranchs. — Bergh 

 prints an important paper, illustrated by five beautiful 

 anatomical plates, as a supplement to his monograph 

 of the family of which Polycera Cuvier is the typical 

 genus. After a number of general notes on species 

 and genera, among which is the description of Ohola, 

 a new genus collected by the Challenger at Arapura 

 in the South Seas, the author considers the Doridl- 

 dae in general, with their divisions and probable 

 phylogeny. The genus Heterodoris of Verrill and 

 Emerton is considered as probably belonging to a dif- 

 ferent family. TheDorididae are separated into two 

 very well marked groups by the possession of a single 

 large retractile crown of gills or of numerous non- 

 retractile branchia, cryptobranchiata, and phanero- 

 branchiata respectively. The latter, connected with 

 the typical Dorididae through Staurodoris, diverge in 

 two lines, of which the more ancient forms are Noto- 



doris and Akiodoris. The former culminates in Ploca- 

 mophorus, with Ohola as a lateral branchlet. The 

 latter passes through Acauthodoris, Goniodoris, etc., 

 toward Ancula and Drepania. 



The phanerobranchiate, non-suctorial Dorididae 

 form the Polyceradae (better Polyeeratidae) of Bergh, 

 and the suctorial forms his Goniodorididae. Of these 

 groups a full discus.sion is made, and a synopsis of 

 their genera and species is given. They inhabit all 

 seas, but are largest and most beautiful in the warmer 

 regions. — {Verh. zool. bot. yes. Wien, JNIiirz, 1883.) 

 w. H. D. [454 



Worms. 



Development of Phoronis. — A. Foettinger has 

 published an article on this subject in Van Beneden's 

 Archives de biologie (iii. (379). lie found in the mo- 

 rula stage, that the cavity contained a few spherical 

 or oval corpuscles, sometimes surrounded by a fine 

 granular substance filling the whole segmentation 

 cavity. The important question he deems to be, 

 whether these elements, which are clearly the first 

 rudiments of the mesoderm, are derived from the 

 endo- or the ecto-derm. Kowalevsky is in favor of 

 the latter view, while Metschnikoff holds to their 

 endodermal origin. If the larvae are treated with 

 acetic acid, and immediately examined, evidence will 

 be afforded as to the presence of the first mesodermic 

 elements at a time when the ovum is still segmenting; 

 and, indeed, indications of them were seen in two 

 cases, where the developing ova consisted of only 

 eight blastoraeres, for there is in them a central cor- 

 puscle which appears to have a mesodermal signifi- 

 cance. The autlior has no distinct opinion as to the 

 origin of this cell, but inclines to doubt the explana- 

 tion given by Metschnikoff. As to the still earlier 

 stages, it is stated that the fecundated ova are de- 

 veloped outside the body of the parent, but that they 

 remain attached to the branchiae for a certain time. 

 After the appearance of fourblastomeres, two divide, 

 and so give rise to a six-celled stage, with two large 

 and four smaller cells. (As to the origin of the meso- 

 derm, compare Hatschek's researches on Sipuncu- 

 lus, to be given shortly in Science.) — (Journ. micr. 

 soc. Lond., iii. .509.) c. s. m. [455 



Nervous system of Hirudinea. — Saint-Loup 

 finds that the arrangements of the nervous system, 

 which were thought to be peculiar to Clepsine, are 

 very common among the Hirudinea. Commencing 

 with Nephelis, he saw in the transparent tissues six 

 capsules on the ventral surface of the ventral gan- 

 glia. Similar capsules were observed in Anlastomum 

 and Hirudo. The author detected in all Ilirudineae 

 the intermediate or unpaired nerve first described by 

 Brandt in the medicinal leech. Saint-Loup hopes to 

 give a general account of the morphology of the ner- 

 vous system of the group. — ( Vomptes rendus, xcvi. 

 1321; Journ. micr. soc. Land., iii. 509.) c. s. M. 



[456 



Classification of the larger groups. — From a 

 study 01 the relationships of the lower insects, 

 Packard has been led to a uew arrangement of all 



