3(3 SUMMARY OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING 10 



Short diagnoses of the families are given, and the several genera 

 contained in each enumerated, so that the work becomes a handbook to 

 the group ; thirteen new species, and one new genus — Paralamprops — 

 are described. 



' Challenger 7 Phyllocarida.* — Prof. G. O. Sars has a report on the 

 interesting forms allied to Nebalia, the zoological position of which has 

 been so much discussed. For the group we must adopt Packard's name 

 of Phyllocarida, as it has some slight priority over Claus's term of 

 Leptostraca. Prof. Sars is inclined to agree with Dr. Packard in believing 

 that the Nebaliidje may have descended from some Copepod-like ancestors, 

 whereas they do not show any relation whatever to the Podophthalmata, 

 which probably developed independently by a separate line from some 

 Nauplius- or Zoea-like form. Prof. Sars thinks that the other Branchio- 

 pods may be derived from the same line as the Nebaliidae, the former 

 having apparently become rather considerably modified in various ways 

 to adapt themselves to the somewhat exceptional conditions under which 

 they live, whereas the Nebaliidse have still preserved much of the ex- 

 ternal appearance which may have distinguished the progenitors of the 

 order, while their internal organization has become much more modified. 

 A new genus — Nebaliojpsis — is instituted for forms in which the branchial 

 legs are imperfectly developed, the exopodites and endopodites being 

 only slightly indicated as small triangular lobes, while the epipodite is 

 well defined. 



Structure of Cyprinidae.f — Dr. A. Garbini has investigated the 

 anatomy and histology of Cypridina mediterranea. 



(1) Antennules. — The eight little cupping-glass structures ("ventose ") 

 situated on the branches of the antennules are described. They serve 

 the male as external sexual organs for grasping the female. Quite 

 distinct from these are the two large stalked discoid expansions at the 

 base of the antennules, which appear to be olfactory or tactile organs. 



(2) Alimentary System, (a) The buccal portion. — (1) The upper lip 

 bears a variable number of glandules, with granular content, opening on 

 the inferior free margin, and functional during eating. There are two 

 others on the upper portion of the labrum, differently disposed, two in 

 number, and apparently comparable to salivary glands. (2) (Esophagus. 

 The walls exhibit four layers, (1) chitinous, (2) epithelial, (3) longi- 

 tudinal muscles, (4) circular muscles. An epithelial circular partition 

 lies at the union of fore- and mid-gut. Special muscles serve to 

 elongate the oesophagus. (b~) The mid-gut. Its walls consist of three 

 tunics, (a) epithelial, (b) muscular, (c) pigmented. The first is most 

 important. No hepatic casca were to be seen. The cells of the internal 

 tunic discharge digestive functions. The passage from mid- to hind-gut 

 is guarded by a kind of sphincter, (c) The hind-gut. There are again 

 three layers, (a) epithelial, (6) longitudinal muscles, (c) circular muscles. 

 The histology of the different regions is noted. 



(3) Central Nervous System. — The cerebral ganglion is very well 

 developed. The peripheral nerve-cells are all of moderate size. Four 

 divisions may be distinguished. These spaces contain a granular 

 substance. The connection between the latter and the ganglionic cells 



* Report of the Voyage of H.M.S. ' Challenger,' lvi. (1S87) 32 pp. and 3 pis. 

 t Bull. Entomol. Soc. Ital., xix. (1887) pp. 35-47 (5 pis.). 



