70 



M I S( ' BLLANEOUS N ( >TES. 



not essential to the manifestation of phosphorescence ; on the contrary 

 the presence of water, unless it be strongly acid, is a sine qua non of the 

 phenomenon. 



(7) As the phosphorescent organs of the metazoa seem to be 

 generally derived from a glandular transformation of the ectoderm, so 

 physiologically they are attributable to a pigment producing change in 

 the glands ; the phosphorescence being simply a collateral phenomenon 

 due to contact of a yellowish pigment, capable of- changing into red or 

 green, with water. It is, -generally speaking, a means of frightening 

 other animals, possessed by certain aquatic organisms or those living 

 in a moist medium. 



Prof. Mitsukuhi exhibited some specimens of Peripatus sent him 

 from the University Museum of Cambridge, .England. 



The meeting adjourned at 4.30 P.M. 



The monthly meeting of the Society for February was^held at the 

 usual place at 2 P.M. on Saturday, Feb. 20. The President in the 

 •chair. The following papers were read : 



Prof. Mitsukuki on " the Changes accompanying Growth in the 

 Calcareous Bodies of Stichopus japonicus, Selenka." The substance of 

 this paper is found elsewhere in this periodical. 



Dr. Kishinouye on the "Petasma and Thelycum of some Shrimps." 

 The author dwelt at length on the morphology and physiology of these 

 structures in several species. The substance of the paper is promised 

 in a near future in the pages of this periodical. 



The meeting adjourned at 4 P.M. 



The monthly meeting of the Society for March was held at the 

 usual place at 2 P.M. on Saturday, March 2. The President in the 

 chair. The first part of the meeting was taken up by business concern- 

 ing the issue of a new periodical in European languages. The following 

 papers were then read : 



Mr. H. Kuroiwa on " the Zoology of the Eyukyu Islands." 

 The author gave an interesting, detailed account of his experiences as 

 a collector in these islands, referring specially to the habits of the 

 gigantic bat and the dugong. 



Mr. H. WaTANABE on " Plankton and Tidal Currents." The author 

 dwelt on a close correlation of the quantity of plankton and tidal cur- 

 rents, as shown in his table of quantitative plankton studies made in 

 Misaki. He also exhibited some specimens of the plankton. 



