658 SUMMARY or CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



to this matrix is a true connective-tissue and has indeed been recently 

 shown by Von Lendenfeld to contain nervous and sensory cells ; it is 

 true that in the Choano-flagellate amoeboid cells wander into the 

 gelatinous matrix, but this is connected with spore formation, and 

 " no fixed connective-tissue cells at all are formed," not to mention 

 the nervous structure already referred to. 



New Variety of Meyenia fluviatilis.* — Mr. H. J, Carter de- 

 scribes a new variety of Meyenia fluviatilis, for which he proposes the 

 varietal name of angustibirotulata. The specimens were obtained near 

 Brentwood in Essex, and from the Calumet Eiver, U.S.A. The dis- 

 tinguishing features of this new variety are the length and hour-glass 

 shape of the birotules, and the smooth skeletal spicule. The only 

 variety of M. fluviatilis with which it can be confounded is that of 

 Bombay. In this last, however, the shaft of the birotule is equal in 

 thickness throughout, and the skeletal spicule may be spiniferous 

 as well as smooth. 



New Fresh-water Sponge.f — Mr. E. Potts describes a new fresh- 

 water sponge, Heteromeyenia Pictouensis n. sp., from Pictou, Nova 

 Scotia. It is near H. Byderii, but the peculiarities of its birotulates 

 distinguish it from that or any other species. It appears to be an 

 " evergreen," continuing its life in the normal state throughout the 

 year, and for this reason seems not to form " protected gemmules " in 

 such abundance as do other species. 



Sponges of the Norwegian North Sea Expedition. | — Dr. G. A. 



Hansen gives an account of forty-five species of sponges collected 

 during the Norwegian North Sea Expedition of 1876-8 ; there is one 

 new genus Glavellomorpha, which is placed next to Thenea. There is 

 a new species of Hyalonema, H. arcticum, many of the long spicules of 

 which are enlarged in the middle, where the axial canal is divided. 

 Twelve new species are placed in the genus Beniera, five with Suberites, 

 four with Myxilla, and two with Sclerilla ; there are four new species 

 of Desmacidon, and one of Gerodia. The five calcareous sponges have 

 all been described, and the nomenclature of Hackel is adopted. 

 Many of the specimens were incompletely preserved owing to the 

 evaporation of the alcohol, and the author was unable to trace out the 

 canal system ; the species are, therefore, discriminated by their 

 spicules, in the description of which the stenographic system of 

 Vosmaer is made use of. 



Protozoa. 



Further Experiments on the Artificial Division of Infusoria.§ — 

 Herr A. Gruber has been making some further observations on Stentor 

 cceruleus. An example a was cut transversely into two pieces; on 

 the next day both had become perfect organisms a' ; one was again 



* Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., xv. (1885) pp. 453-6. 

 t Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1885, pp. 28-9 (1 fig.). 



X Hansen, G. A., 'Den Norske Nordhavs-Bxpedition, 1876-8, xiii., Spon- 

 giadse,' fol. Christiania, 1885, 25 pp., 7 pis. and 1 map. 



§ Biol. Centralbl., v. (1885) p. 137. See Naturiorscher, xviii. (1885) p. 204. 



