582 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



fact of tlieir replacement by organic bases of the formula E4NOH, and 

 also by cholin and neurin. Probably the light emitted by the fat 

 of Trachypterus iris, containing, as it probably does, in common 

 with many parts of the body and many vegetable organisms, e. g. the 

 agaric fungi, the compounds lecithin, cholesterin, and spermaceti, 

 may be due to the neurin and cholin into which lecithin is known 

 sometimes to become decomposed. In all these cases slow oxidation 

 is necessary. If it is too rapid, phosphorescence developes into 

 burning, from which it is distinguished only by the more limited num- 

 ber of atoms of oxygen which are at one time in process of reaction 

 with the body. The identity of the light afforded by the above organic 

 bodies with that of living organisms is shown by the spectroscope. 



From what has been said, it is probable that increase in luminosity 

 brought about by stirring or shaking the luminous body is caused by 

 the greater access of oxygen which is thereby produced. 



Peculiarities in Marine Animals.* — In exhibiting some living 

 marine forms, Professor Haeckel directed attention to (1) the hinder 

 half of a young Amphioxus, from the centre of which- there pro- 

 jected the naked notochord, which had lived thus for eight days 

 and still exhibited lively movements ; this was a case of a " partial 

 Bion." (2) Young Ephyra-larvfe of Aurelia, which exhibited very 

 considerable and remarkable variations in their mode of development, 

 and showed all stages between complete metagenesis and a simple 

 direct development. While most of the Ephyrce were developed by the 

 well-known formation of strobila, some " persons " arose directly from 

 the Scyphostoma, and some at once from the gastrula of the Aurelia. 

 In addition to this, there were the most various stages between the 

 Scypho - polyps and the Ephyra-Medusfe ; persons in which the 

 umbrella was partly provided with tentacles and partly with sensory 

 organs having been observed. 



New Biological Journal. — Under the title of ' Biologisches Cen- 

 tralblatt ' Dr. Rosenthal, the eminent Professor of Physiology at 

 Erlangen, has, with the assistance of Professors Eeess and Selenka, 

 commenced to issue a periodica], of which it is announced that 24 

 numbers of 32 pages are to appear during the year. The aim of the 

 journal is to give abstracts of published biological researches (signed 

 by the writers), and original communications will, under certain con- 

 ditions, also be included. The first number contains notices of several 

 important books, such as that of H. Miiller on the Fertilization by 

 Insects of Alpine Flowers, the notice of which is written by the author ; 

 Nencki on the Biology of Bacteria, by Dr. Wolif berg, of Bonn ; and 

 Munk on the Functions of the Cortex of the Cerebrum, which is noticed 

 by Dr. Exner. The only English paper noticed is Dr. Heneage 

 Gibbes ' On Human Spermatozoa.' 



* Jen. Zeitschr. f. Naturwiss., xiv. (1881) Suppl. Heft, pp. 141-2.^ 



