954 SUMMARY OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



leech. It will be necessary to form a new family for the reception of 

 Eudrilus. 



Mr. Beddard next makes some corrections, and gives some further in- 

 formation as to the reproductive organs of AcantJiodrilus, and concludes with 

 a note on the genital setaB of Perichseta houlleti, which have the general shape 

 of imperfectly developed ordinary setse, but terminate at their free end in a 

 distinctly bifid extremity, the ends being connected by a delicate membrane. 



New Species of Earthworm.* — Mr. F. E. Beddard describes Cryptodrilus 

 fletcheri, a new species of earthworm from Queensland, which appears to 

 be closely allied to C. rusticus Fletcher. The calciferous glands occupy an 

 unusual position, for, instead of lying to the sides of the intestine, they 

 are placed below it, and each gland comes into close relations with its 

 fellow. The nephridia are on the type of Microchseta and some species of 

 Acanthodrilus ; they consist of a complicated coil of glandular tubules; 

 their orifices alternate in position from segment to segment, but always 

 correspond to one of the setse. The seminal vesicles present the remark- 

 able arrangement described by Mr. Fletchei', for a pair is placed in the ninth 

 and another in the twelfth segment, the intermediate segments being without 

 them, and, as in C. rusticus, the prostates are large. There are four pairs 

 of spermathecse, and these are interesting as presenting a difference in the 

 minute structure of the spermatheca and its diverticulum, the latter having 

 a very delicate epithelium, and the former tall columnar epithelial cells. 



Anatomy of Hirudinea Rhynchobdellida.t — M. G. Dutilleul commences 

 his notes on some points in the anatomy of the Ehynchobdellida with a 

 discussion on the dorsal organ of Glossiphonia, which was first detected by 

 Herr Nusbaum in G. complanata, where it is, however, provisional ; it is also 

 provisional in G. marginata, and the author believes that it is homologous 

 with the permanent dorsal organ of G. hioculata ; in this last it is nothing 

 but a chitinous layer in a cutaneous depression, and M. Dutilleul thinks it 

 would be well to call it the dorsal chitinous layer. With regard to the 

 male apparatus of G. sexoculata, which it has been dif&cult to associate 

 with that of allied species, on account of its abnormal form, the author 

 states that he has discovered that the external branch of the U-shaped tube 

 does not terminate in a free point, but is folded, directed backwards parallel 

 to the axis of the body, and that it receives on its outer side the short 

 deferent canals of the ten testicles of the corresponding side. 



The wart-like tubercles of Pontohdella are found to be richly vascular 

 and well provided with muscles, so that they represent differentiated 

 respiratory organs, from which may be derived those of Glossiphonia and 

 JBranchellion. 



Histology of Nervous System of Polychseta.J — Dr. E. Eohde gives an 

 account of his researches on the histology of the nervous system of the 

 Aphroditese. His investigations mainly refer to Aphrodite aculeata Lin., 

 Hermione hystrix Quatr., Sigalion squamatum Delle Ch., Sthenelais dendro- 

 lepis Clap., Polynoe elegans Gr. (Lepidasthenia elegans Mlmgr.), Psammolyce 

 arenosa Delle Ch. He prefaces his memoir with an historical resume of 

 the relative researches of the last twenty-five years. He discusses in order 

 (a) the ganglion-cells, (h) the central substance, (c) the nerves, (d) the 

 relation of the ganglionic processes to (h) and (c), (e) the subcuticular 

 fibrous tissue. His principal results are as follows : — 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1S87, pp. 544-8. 

 t Comptes Reudus.cv. (1887) pp. 128-30. 

 X Zool. Beitr. (Schneider), ii. (18S7) pp. 1-87 (7 pis.). 



