1292 Scientific News. [December, 
2. Histology.—The outer body-wall of the Echinorhynchi consists 
of four layers: a very thin cuticula, a thick sudbcuticula, an outer 
muscular layer (circular fibers), and an ¿nner muscular layer (longi- 
tudinal fibers). 
The subcuticula, which constitutes by far the larger portion of 
the body-wall, is a complicated web of muscular fibers, in which 
may be distinguished an inner and an outer zone. The inner zone, 
lying next to the layer of circular muscle-fibrils, is made up ot 
radial fibers united into bundles. These bundles have the shape 
of sheaves, the fibers spreading at the ends, but drawn ‘closer to- 
gether at the middle, so as to leave a system of spaces or canals. 
Two longitudinal canals are thus formed, having in some species 
a lateral position, in others a dorsoventral position ; and these 
main trunks are connected by a net-work of anastomosing canals. 
This system of vessels is filled with a clear fluid, in which nu- 
merous granules, resembling oil spherules, together with large 
nuclei, are suspended. The wall of these vascular spaces consists 
of radial muscle-fibers alone, showing no indication of a lining 
epithelium. Szfftigen thinks that the canal-system of the anterior 
end, including the lemnisci, does not communicate with that ot 
the rest of the body. : i 
The outer zone of the subcuticula is made up of alternating 
strata of longitudinal and circular fibers, and is not penetrated y 
the canal-system. The radial fibers of the inner zone penetrate 
this outer zone, and reach to the cuticula. Between this outer zone 
and the cuticula is found a layer which Baltzer has called the 
“ Streifencuticula,” and which has hitherto been regarded as an 
inner cuticula. Sæfftigen has brought forward pretty conclusive 
evidence that this layer is not cuticular, but muscular ; and he 
holds that it is merely a bounding zone of the subcuticula, in 
which the muscular fibers are more closely packed than in the so- 
called “ outer zone” of the subcuticula. The subcuticula presents 
essentially the same features in the proboscis and neck as in the 
body proper. 
3 
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SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
— The meeting of the British Association at Montreal pet 
extremely interesting one and very largely attended ; white 
interest was mainly centered upon topics pertaining to Pr i 
the proceedings of the sections of geology and of biol OEY S 
notable. The section of geology was presided over by Oe wo 
ford ; fifty-one papers were presented. Aug. 29th was P a 
essays and debates on glacial phenomena, in the course O en : 
Professor James Geikie expressed his inability to draw any other 
line between moraines and kames, as they merge into eee 
so that one cannot say where one leaves off and the othe! eae 
Kames he regarded as partly morainic and partly of woga 
origin. Debates on the archæan rocks, and the €02000, T°” 
