1896.] Zoology. 



teria ?) in active eruption. These spores form dense masses and entii 

 fill up many of the burrows, often smothering the insects. I am curi 

 to know whether this is really the end of a prodigious attack that has b 

 made by the beetles during the past summer upon the dying era 

 trees, oaks and other timber injured by the great freezes of last wil 

 [Dec. 27-29, 1894 and Feb. 7-9, 1895], or whether it is only a t 

 porary condition due to the inactivity of the beetles during the win 

 I should not be surprised to find that it has put an end to further 

 crease of the colonies of ambrosia-eating insects by making it imp< 

 ble for them to propagate their food fungus. — Henry G. Hubba 

 Crescent City, Florida. 



Note.— Mr. Hubbard reports (May 13) that the beetles were finally o 

 are usually brought to an end in this manner.— E. F. S. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Feeding Phenomena of Sea Anemones.— Nagel has 

 claimed that only the tentacles of the sea anemones were stimulated by 

 food, while Loeb has shown that other parts of the oral disc were 

 equally sensitive. To settle which was correct Dr. Parker made his 

 experiments on oar >..• i atum. 1 When the ani- 



mal is expanded, carmine dropped on the tentacles is gradually carried 

 outwards by the ciliary action until it is dropped outside the disc. In 

 this there is at first only a slight muscular action, and then the tenta- 

 cles are quiet as before. If, however, a bit of crab-flesh be dropped on 

 the tentacles, these are stimulated much more. They now gradually bend 

 inward, and the flesh, carried toward the tips of the tentacles like the 

 carmine, is dropped inside the lips of the mouth. Experiments showed 

 that this stimulation was produced by the juices of the meat, sugar, 

 quinine, meat and picric acid — all substances with taste — as well as 

 filter paper, rubber, etc., produced no stimulation. Each tentacle was 

 alone. Between the tentacles and'the lips is an intermediate 

 zone in which no stimulation occurs. Bits of crab meat dropped upon 

 it remain quiet for a time, and then gradually move outwards. Dr. 

 Parker was not able to explain with certainty how. When, however, 



