No. 435-] 



MOTES AND LITERATI-RE. 



The relegation of the systematic side of the subject to a few brief 

 appendices and the extensive treatment of structural, developmental, 

 and physiological phenomena reflect the spirit of the past decade in 

 zoological science, while the especial attention to cytological prob- 

 lems are in keeping with the author's contributions to the subject. 



The introductory chapter contains a historical review, a discussion 

 of the modern classification of the group, of the distinctions between 

 plants and animals, and of spontaneous generation. We note the 

 omission of the Bathybius incident in the historical discussion, 

 though the Eozoon ghost is laid. The general morphology and physi- 

 ology of the Protozoa are treated in the second chapter, which con- 

 tains an admirable discussion of the structures and functions of the 

 protozoan body. The subject of colonial organization is but partly 

 developed and that of economic aspects lacks perspective. The 

 agency of the Protozoa in causing odors in potable water are for 

 example fully treated but no reference is made in this connection to 

 the pebrine of the silk worm or to Texas fever. 



The four chapters which follow deal with the structure, develop- 

 ment, and relationships of the Sarcodina, Mastigophora, Sporozoa, 

 and Infusoria. The revival of interest in the Sporozoa in recent 

 years makes the review of the literature of these parasites very 

 opportune. 



In the chapter upon the sexual phenomena in Protozoa the author 

 concludes that there is no instance of nuclear reduction in the Flagel- 

 lidia and that the maturation of forms in other divisions of the Proto- 

 zoa shows no genetic relation to analogous processes in Metazoa, 

 but are "independent" expressions of the same unknown vital forces 

 which cause the formation of polar bodies, or the double division of 



degeneration. No conclusive evidence, it seems, can as yet be found 

 in the Protozoa which enables us to trace the phylogeny of nuclear 

 structures of the Metazoa, though Calkin's division-center is a step in 

 that direction. The closing chapter on some problems in the physi- 

 ology of the Protozoa gives a brief insight into this most promising 

 util rapidly developing line of research. 



The work is adorned by a number of excellent new figures and 

 concludes with a bibliography of about 600 titles, mainly of morpho- 

 logical and physiological papers. The omission of Schewiakoff's 

 Monograph (Russian) of the Aspiroticha and of the recent excel- 

 lent papers of Roux is to be deplored, for while in the main system- 

 atic or faunistic they are of great value to every student of the 



