338 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vor. XXXVI. 
trigger fishes — a. poisonous alkaloid is developed which causes a 
very dangerous disease known in Cuba as ciguatera. This poison 
attacks the nervous system, and through it other organs, often pro- 
ducing death. Similar alkaloids of less virulence exist in sharks 
and some other fishes. Dr. Pellegrin regards it as a kind of device 
for the preservation of the species by the destruction of its enemies 
with the death of the individual. The virulence of the poison is 
less in fresh waters and grows less away from the. tropics. 
Similar effects are sometimes produced by the flesh of species 
otherwise innocuous which have been themselves poisoned by 
poisonous mollusks, polyps, or fish. 
Illness caused by decayed fish flesh or by undigested fish has no 
relation to ciguatera. This Pellegrin calls *ichthyosisme," and it 
may be produced by various species under conditions adverse to 
assimilation. 
In a monthly publication called /apan and America, for January, 
1902, Dr. Jordan gives an account of the Salmonidz of Japan, this 
paper being an epitome of one sent to Japan for publication. The 
valid species known in Japanese waters are the Sake (Oncorhynchus 
keta), the Ginmasu (Oncorhynchus kisutch), the Yesomasu (Oncorhyn- 
chus masou or O. yessoénsis, accidentally omitted in this paper), the 
Benimasu (Oncorhynchus nerka), the Yamabe or Kawamasu (Salmo 
berryi), the Ito (Hucho blackistoni), the Iwana (Salvelinus pluvius), 
the Malma (Salvelinus malma), the Amemasu (Salvelinus kundscha), 
and the famous Ayu, one of the finest food fishes in all the world 
(Plecoglossus altivelis). This dwarf salmon of.the rivers should by 
all means be introduced into the clear streams of Maine, Quebec, 
and California. Few finer food fishes exist anywhere. D.& 1. 
Vascular System of Bdellostoma dombeyi. — C. M. Jackson! 
has made the vascular system of Bdellostoma dombeyi the subject of 
investigation. The author emphasizes the interest and importance 
attaching to the Cyclostomata owing to their being the lowest of the 
Craniata and possessing many structural features which must be 
regarded as ancestral. The blood-vascular system is described in 
detail, and certain points concerning its comparative anatomy are 
discussed. 
The heart is a simple tubular organ, situated in a pericardial 
chamber which retains free communication with the peritoneal 
1 Jackson, C. M. An Investigation of the Vascular System of Bdellostoma 
oe of the Cin. Soc. of Nat. Hist., vol. xx, No. 1, pp. 13-48. 3 pls. 


