646 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



layer ; at the same time lie recognises that the well-developed sensory 

 organs and the organisation of the nerve-cord hardly support this 

 idea. 



Development of Sphserularia bombi.* — M.L. Joliethas a note on 

 Schneider's account of his recent observations on the development 

 of this parasite. Female Bombi, infested by Splioerularia, do not 

 prosper, but die at the beginning of June, when the embryos of the 

 parasite are set at liberty. These require a damp, well-aerated, and 

 non-putrefying situation ; cfter two successive moults they acquire 

 their sexual characters. During the free stage they take no food, 

 and do not copulate. If they succeed in introducing themselves into 

 the intestine of a larval Bomhus they continue their development. 



New Nematoid from Merlangus.f — M. L. Ferument describes a 

 new nematoid from the intestines of Merlangus vulgaris, for which he 

 proposes the name of Spiniteclus oviflagellis ; it is very delicate in 

 form, and has its integument comj)letely covered by an armature of 

 spines arranged in transverse rings, by means of which it is enabled 

 to fix itself firmly to the mucous membrane of its host. The head is 

 unarmed. There is no swelling of the digestive tube. The eggs 

 are proportionately large, being one-fifth of the width of their 

 parent ; they are characterised by having at either pole a small 

 appendage in the form of a flattened button; at its circumference 

 there are, at definite distances from one another, three very fine fila- 

 ments which, when unrolled, are fourteen or fifteen times as long as 

 the egg. 



The new genus appears to belong to the family of the Filaridse 

 and to stand nearest to the genus Hystrichis. 



Nervous System of Bothriocephalidse.J — M. J. Niemiec has 

 investigated the nervous system of Both-iocephalus latus, and of a 

 species of the same genus which is parasitic in the dog. The lateral 

 nerve-cords ascend into the scolex where they continue their original 

 direction ; there are no ganglia or any commissures in the hinder 

 part of the scolex, as has been asserted by some previous observers. 

 It is only in the anterior extremity of the scolex that the lateral cords 

 turn towards one another, and, after an inconsiderable enlargement, 

 unite by a well-developed commissure ; this last contains ganglionic 

 cells, and may be called the central ganglion, though it is not so 

 sharply delimited as in Tcenia. The lateral cords give rise, just 

 below the commissure, to four nerves on either side, which spread out 

 radially, and then curve backwards to accompany the principal cords. 

 The latter give off a series of short nervous filaments which pass to 

 the epithelium. The author points out the value of the study of the 

 nervous system of Bothriocephalus as explaining that of Tcenia ; it is 

 simpler and more primitive in character. 



* Arch. Zool. Exper. et Gen., iii. (1885) p. Ixxii. 

 t Ann. Sci. Nat— Zool., xvii. (1885) 8 pp. and 1 pi. 

 i Comptes Eendus, c. (1885) pp. 1013-5. 



