1870.J Zoology. 435 



the name Pacliydermon by M. Claparede as parasites, similar to 

 the well-known Opaliiuv. Mr. Lankester having detected these 

 bodies in a new species of Limnodrilus living in ponds at Hamp- 

 stead, carefully examined their structure, and found that they were 

 simply closely-fitted masses of spermatozoa, held together by a 

 viscid cement, and with their tails projecting beyond this viscid 

 matter freely, and thus giving the appearance of ciliation. Further, 

 Mr. Lankester had observed exceedingly long coiling bodies in the 

 seminal receptacles of Nais, and he had no doubt from their struc- 

 ture that these also were spermatophores. This curious phenome- 

 non of the aggregation of the spermatozoa into definitely-shaped 

 masses after their complete development and separation from their 

 developmental aggregation, has been observed in Molluscs, Insects, 

 and Marine Annelids, but not hitherto in the Oligochceta. It is 

 not easy to conjecture what purpose may be served in the worm's 

 economy by this strange aggregation of the spermatozoa. The 

 appearance presented by the masses is very like that of a densely- 

 ciliated Infusorian, and they move gracefully along the stage of the 

 microscope as though endowed with an individual vitality, instead 

 of being but a spirally-interwoven mass of sexual particles. The 

 same number of the Journal contains an important paper by Pro- 

 fessor Cleland " On the Structure of the Grey Matter of the Brain," 

 and one by Dr. Yan Beneden " On Nematobothrium." 



Surface Life of the Ocean. — Lieutenant Ingram Palmer, 

 having a considerable talent for drawing, determined to investigate 

 the various minute forms of life which abound on the ocean surface. 

 He arranged a series of nets for towing behind the vessel to which 

 he was attached ; purchased a small microscope, and set to work to 

 examine everything and draw everything which came to hand. 

 The result is, a very large collection of beautifully-executed drawings 

 of minute crustacean larvae, worms, Pteropodous Molluscs, Echi- 

 noderm larvae, and various adult Amphipods and Isopods of great 

 beauty, few being larger naturally than a pin's head. The amount 

 of work and skill represented by these drawings is something enor- 

 mous, and yet they will probably prove of no scientific value. They 

 have been exhibited at the Geographical and Linnaean Societies, and 

 are now in a magnificent frame at the Admiralty. The talented and 

 persevering artist who produced them had absolutely no knowledge 

 of what he was drawing, and did not go to work with the critical 

 power of a zoologist, and hence he has drawn much that was well 

 known before, and has often failed to give the details required for 

 zoological purposes, though his drawings are exceedingly clear and 

 accurate. A very little previous education in Natural History — 

 the opportunity for which ought to be given to every officer in Her 

 Majesty's service — would have rendered Lieutenant Palmer's great 

 talents available for science. It is to be hoped that the Admiralty 



