Maech 20, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



435 



A committee consisting of Henry B. Ward, chair- 

 man, G. H. Parker and C. E. McCIung was ap- 

 pointed to confer with a committee of three from 

 the American Society of Anatomists on the subject 

 ■of premedical education. 



The ' ' Mathews Plan for the Organization of an 

 American Biological Society" was referred to the 

 •executive committee for consideration and report 

 to a future meeting. 



The committee of delegates, on which the Amer- 

 ican Society of Zoologists was represented by G. 

 H. Parker, recommended that the secretaries of 

 the American Society of Zoologists and other affili- 

 ated societies consult with the secretary of the 

 American Society of Naturalists as to the place of 

 future meetings. This recommendation was ap- 

 proved by unanimous vote. 



The recommendation of the executive committee 

 that a list of members, and the new constitution 

 and by-laws of the society be published this year 

 hj the secretary was also approved. 



At meetings held on December 29, 30 and Jan- 

 uary 1, the following papers were read either in 

 full or by title: 



COMPARATIVE ANATOMY 



The Intestinal Epithelium of Trematodes: Henry 



S. Pratt. 

 A Contribution to the Evolution of the Cestode, 



Eostellum: Franklin D. Barker. (Illustrated 



with lantern slides.) 



Barker and Adson have recently described a new 

 ^enus and species of Cestode, Proteorostellum 

 ■sphcerulum from the intestine of softshell turtles. 



This form differs from the other known genera 

 ■of the Froteocephalidw in having a well-defined 

 ■apical organ on the head or scolex. Other morpho- 

 logical and histological differences also distinguish 

 this form. 



In order to arrive at the correct interpretation 

 of this organ a careful comparative study of the 

 various apical structures found in cestodes was 

 made. 



The comparative study shows that the apical 

 organ of this new cestode from the turtle is 

 neither end-organ, terminal sucker nor muscle-cone. 

 The rostella of different cestodes vary greatly in 

 their structural complexity so that several distinct 

 grades may be recognized. Comparisons with 

 these rostella clearly shows that the apical organ 

 of the turtle cestode is a rostellum of a very simple 

 type. 



It seems then that we have in this rostellum the 

 simplest and most primitive tj^pe of cestode rostel- 

 lum yet described and one which possibly repre- 

 sents the prototype from which the more complex 

 types have evolved. A well-defined series of 

 rostella, developing in complexity, can be estab- 

 lished, beginning with this very simple type found 

 in the turtle cestode. 



On the basis of this series of cestode rostella we 

 would define the cestode rostellum as an organ 

 varying in size, shape and complexity; having a 

 definite individual musculature, intrinsic, extrinsic 

 or both ; more or less retractile ; armed or unarmed ; 

 situated on the apex and equidistant from the 

 acetabula of the cestode scolex. A more detailed 

 discussion of this question will appear in a paper 

 soon to be published from this laboratory by Geo. 

 M. Covey on "The Microscopic Anatomy of Pro- 

 teorostellum sphcerulum Barker and Adson. ' ' 

 Further Notes on the Embryonic Skull of Eumeces : 



Edward L. Eice. 



A. Secondary Tympanic Membrane. — Gaupp 

 emphasizes the contrast in position of the second- 

 ary tympanic membrane of the mammals and the 

 physiologically similar membrane stretched be- 

 tween the rim of the fenestra cochleae and the lat- 

 eral margin of the basal plate in Lacerta. Obser- 

 vations on Eumeces largely bridge this gap and 

 indicate a real homology not recognized by Gaupp. 

 Early stages agree with Lacerta; in later embryos 

 the membrane is clearly a part of the wall of the 

 otic capsule. 



B. Exit of Glossopharyngeal Nerve. — The above 

 interpretation helps to harmonize the seemingly 

 contradictory data concerning the course of the 

 ninth nerve in the reptiles, described as ' ' Extra- 

 capsular" in Lacerta, Eatteria and the Crocodilia, 

 and as ' ' intra-capsular ' ' in Chelone, Eruys and 

 Tropidonoftus. The cause in both cases may be 

 interpreted as intracapsular, the penetration of 

 cartilage or connective tissue depending on the 

 relative extent of these tissues in this part of the 

 otic capsule, i. e., upon the size of the fenestra 

 cochleae. Observations on Eumeces confirm this 

 view. Some specimens agree fully with Lacerta; 

 in others the nerve clearly penetrates the cartilage 

 of the median walls of the capsule, although no lat- 

 eral penetration of the cartilage has been observed. 

 These variations are not correlated with age. 

 Observations on Sympathetic Ganglion Cells: P. 



W. Carpenter. 

 The Vascular System of the Florida Alligator: A. 

 M. Reese. 



