SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



361 



Fornasini on " Some of the Foraminifera illus- 

 trated by Costa," and a note by Dr. Fornasini on 

 rica d'Orb." 



The Mycetozoa of Antigua. — We have 

 received a very interesting letter from Mr. \Y. 

 Cran, describing some of his research work on the 

 Mycetozoa of the West Indies. He has found over 

 fifty species within the last two years in the island 

 of Antigua, and as many of the forms are unique 

 and all are rare and interesting, he has forwarded 

 us the following sketches for publication. Fig. 1, 

 SttmcHitis splendens, a species fairly common in 

 Antigua, but rather rare in Europe. The type 

 represented is one that has been previously found 

 in Cuba and Borneo. The mesh is small and regular, 

 with a few membranous expansions. Fig. 2, 

 ■ — A very pretty species, but rare, 

 having been found before only in Philadelphia, 



study comprises one of the most interesting and 

 important chapters in general physiology. The 

 existence of the photogenic function has been 

 demonstrated dc visu in numerous species belonging 

 to the animal and the vegetable kingdoms, and it 

 might perhaps be found in all living creatures if 

 we possessed instruments of sufficient delicacy to 

 detect it ; but this is pure hypothesis. In white 

 algae and mushrooms the photogenic function has 

 been studied in a methodical and scientific manner. 



Photogenic Functions of Noctiluca Mili- 

 aris. — The photogenic function is widely found 

 among very inferior animals, the Noctiluca miliaris, 

 for example, to which is often due the splendid 

 phenomena of ocean phosphorescence. Besides its 

 envelope, some intercellular liquid, its digestive 

 vesicles, and a flagellum, the structure of a 

 Noctiluca is that of an active, contractile, proto- 



Fig. 1. — Sttm'witis splendens - 

 unusual type (x 147). 



Fig. 2—Cribraria violaca. — 

 usual type ( x 54). 



Fig. 3—Cribraria violacca — 

 unusual development (X 54). 





1. { x 15). 



Pig. 5.— Pah r of 



Chigoe (x 300). 



Developing Ecgs ok Chigoe. 

 Extl "i' 'I h human foot ( x 15). 



.. and at Ivinghoe, Bucks. Fig. 3 represents 

 two unusual developments of the same species. 



The Chiooe —Mr. Cran also sends studies of 

 Puiix finttrans, the chigoe or chegre of the West 

 Iodic* 1 fig .)>. drawn from a glycerine jelly 

 mount < aptured before it had 



yet made its way into the foot. It is common here, 

 unfortunately, but is seldom captured and mi 

 in men lition Pig -,. One half of the 



rostrum of the same, as seen projecting under the 

 of the above drawing. This was drawn 



II 



n\ of chigoe extracted from the human 



glycerine jelly, 



sa ol life is uri ly the 



y possessed by certain organisms of 



to space, as iumll a pat > 



ngin. I'rofcssor I oil, or. lias 

 tailed Its 



plasmic mass, surrounding a nucleus, and sending 

 toward the internal wall of its envelope numerous 

 retractile and excitable prolongations. It is in 

 this last tract that we see formed rounded granula- 

 tions having a special refractive power that is to lie 

 found in all photogenic elements. Mechanical, 



physical, and chemical stimuli cause the intei 1 



the Noctiluca to shine, and they then appear to the 

 naked eye like little Stars emitting a steady light. 



Under the microscope tin . apparenl unil 1 glow 



Ived mo, a multitude of little brilliant points 



or sparks that, liy tin 11 form and distriliiiiion, 



to the refringenl granulations of which 

 pi ken, 



Parasite of Rabies, Dr. A. Grigorjewbi II 

 that ir ■ cause ol hydrophobia is not a 



lum, but a bi Ij bed ngins to the 1 'rotozoa 

 1 'in . noiii, ii , unci me from 1 abiea 

 a body amo bold mow mi nl , and 1 



hibiting exten ilon "i p eudopi des n 1 ai tion may 

 modified b resence of ba< li ria 



