60 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



(" Fuss-stiicke) were simple uniform rods, but provided both at their upper 

 and lower end with a sharply defined apparently spherical knob. Viewed 

 from the side, a row of these basal portions thus forms two parallel pearl- 

 necklace-like lines. This has been repeatedly described as a double-con- 

 toured cuticle, which it certainly very closely resembles when the knobs are 

 closely packed together. Modifications are not unfrequent, such as the 

 disappearance of one or both rows of knobs. Or, again, two distinct lower 

 rows of knobs may be present. Herr Frenzel confirms the general opinion 

 that the cilia are continuations of the basal rods. A connecting portion, a 

 bulb, and a lash proper were distinguishable in the cilium, but not always. 

 In some cases eight parts might be distinguished, (1) a basal knob next the 

 cell, (2) an inferior clot, (3) an accessory inferior knob, (4) the basal rod 

 itself, (5) the superior knob, (6) the connecting portion, (7) the hair-bulb, 

 (8) the shaft. These results are compared with what is otherwise known 

 of cuticular fringes and the like. All these structures, basal rods among 

 the rest, Frenzel regards as protections for the sensitive and otherwise 

 naked cell. 



Formation of Vacuoles in red-blood Corpuscles.* — Herr W. Nikolsky 

 has treated blood-corpuscles with ammonium chlorate and other ammonium 

 compounds with the following results: — (1) It seems very probable that by 

 treatment with ammonium chlorate, &c., vacuoles may be produced in the 

 blood-corpuscles of all animals with nuoleated red cori^nscles. (2) It is 

 probable, further, that vacuoles in other cells, as described by several 

 authorities, may have a similar origin. (3) His result points to the gaseous 

 nature of the vacuoles. It may be ammonia or a derivative of ammonia 

 with an organic radical. The vacuoles grow smaller and finally disappear 

 on treatment with much chlorate of ammonium. The fact that the vacuoles 

 disappear under the influence of acids, confirms the supposition of the basic 

 nature of these gas bubbles. 



"Wandering Leucocytes in Epithelium.j — Dr. J. H. List describes the 

 morphology of wandering leucocytes which he studied in the cloacal epi- 

 thelium of Raja miraletus. The refractive, homogeneous or slightly 

 granular, nucleated and vacuolated cells, varied greatly in form and size. 

 They are very closely associated with the epithelial, round which they 

 sometimes form a ring. In cavities between the epithelial cells a number 

 of leucocytes were occasionally observed. Small bodies like portions of 

 leucocytes were frequently seen. It seems possible that the leucocytes are 

 destroyed in their migi'ation through the epithelium. 



Genesis and Death of Muscle-fibre. J^ — Dr. T. G. Navalichin has studied 

 the genesis and death of the muscles of the eye in a number of vertebrates. 



The muscles of newly killed animals were put for some weeks in water 

 slightly acidified with acetic acid. The normal union between the muscle- 

 fibres and the tendinous strands was thus preserved intact. The following 

 results were obtained: — (1) In the muscles of the eye, especially in young 

 forms, the fibres are surrounded by sheaths of sarcolemma open at tlie ends 

 of the fibre. The component fibrils pass by fine terminal ends into the 

 fibrils of the tendon. (2) Among the primitive strands of the tendinous 

 tissue, there are rows of elongated, fusiform, transparent elements, with one 

 nucleus, or occasionally with two. These elements are connected together 

 by fine terminal threads. In contact with the muscular tissue, however, 

 these prolongations unite into fibrils, which project outside the gaping ends 



* Arch. f. Mikr. Anat., xxvii. (1886) pp. 437-41 (1 fig.). 



t Ibid , xxviii. (1886) pp. 251-6 (1 pi.). J Arch. Slav, de Biol., i. (1886) pp. 134-8 



