768 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



protoplasm. This is either homogeneous or alveolar in structure ; in 

 this layer trichocysts or trichocyst-like structures and pigments may be 

 deposited. The author gives detailed accounts of twenty-five forms, 

 among which are Glaucoma macrostoma sp, n., Urozona Biitschlii g. et 

 sp. n., and BalantiopTiorus minutus g. et sp. n. 



Pigment of Euglena sanguinea.* — M. A. G. C-arcin has studied the 



colouring matter of this organism, regarded by Ehrenberg as a distinct 

 species, by Stein and Kent as a form of E. viridis, with which latter 

 view the author agrees. He gives its spectroscopic properties, and finds 

 it to be composed of extremely fine granulations, insoluble in water or 

 cold alcohol, soluble in chlor(jform and concentrated nitric acid, and 

 turning blue under the action of sulphuric acid. This substance, to 

 which the author gives the name rufin, is identical with Eostafinski's 

 chlororufin, the colouring matter of Hsematococcus, CJilamydomonas, 

 Trentepohlia, the antherids of Characefe, and the oospheres of Bulbochsete. 

 It is not, however, identical with Liebermann's chrysoquinone, nor with 

 the colouring matter of the pigment-spot (eye-spot) of the lower algae, 

 which is not turned blue by sulphuric acid. 



New Proteromonas.'l' — M. J. Kunstler gives a description of a new 

 Proferomonas which was found living commensally with the Green 

 Lizard in Gascony. The filiform body is about 15 /a long. The body is 

 more or less of an S-shape, and is at the same time twisted on itself. 

 The hinder extremity terminates in a fine point which may be of some 

 length. At the anterior end there is a single long flagellum the base of 

 which varies somewhat in character. This flagellum may be two to five 

 times the length of the body, is of some thickness, and often undulating 

 or spiral in shape. The author proposes to call it P. dolichomastix. It 

 is somewhat smaller than P. Begnardi. 



Podophrya from Calcutta. J — Mr. W. J. Simmons gives a short 

 account of a species of Podophrya from Calcutta. The body is from 

 1/800 to 3/4000 in. in length, is about 1/1000 in. broad, and the stem 

 is about 1/1500 to 1/2000 in. in length. The form of the body appears 

 to vary somewhat. The colour is whitisli, and in only one case were 

 the tentacles observed to present a knobbed appearance. 



Structure of RMzopod Shells.§— Herr F. Dreyer, after explaining 

 the most important points in the structure of the shells of the Ehizopoda, 

 attempts to give some explanation of the phenomena. The chief cause 

 of the form-types of the soft body and of the shell is to be sought for in 

 the mode of life of the Ehizopoda. Those that have shells belonging to 

 the perforate type and with pseudopodia radiating uniformly on all sides, 

 live free and rotating in the water. The monaxonic and amphitect 

 shells of the pylomatic type belong to Ehizo])oda, which, in swimming 

 or creeping, maintain a definite perpendicular principal axis. The 

 eudipleural development owes its origin to creeping in a jjarticular 

 direction. The specific evolution of the form-type once selected is 

 independent of the shell-material ; in the selection of this type, however, 

 the latter plays an important part, and this applies in a still higher 



* Joum. de Bot. (Morot), iii. (1889) pp. 189-94 (2 figs.). 



t Coraptes Eendus, cix. (1889) pp. 578-9. 



i Amer. Mon. Micr. Journ., x. (1889) pp. 145-6. 



§ Bk.l. Centralbl., ix. (1889) pp. 333-52. 



