458 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
unites with the blind end of the canal. The resemblance between these 
organs and the segmental organs of Annelids, the organ of Bojanus in 
the Mollusca, and the pronephros of Selachians is sufficiently striking. 
The author’s observations concluded at the zoea-stage. 
Stenorhynchus longirostris.* — Mr. D. Robertson has an interesting 
note on this common Crustacean. He has had occasion to doubt its 
carnivorous habits, and he has often seen it picking about its limbs 
(particularly the second pair, which are generally most invested with sea- 
weed), and conveying the produce to its mouth. “ If other observations 
confirm the view that this animal is a true vegetarian, we shall have one 
example at least of an independent agriculturist who is not only superior 
of his lands, but carries them with him when he removes.” 
The Stalk of Barnacles.f — M. R. Koehler devotes the first part of 
his memoir on the structure of Cirripedia to a description of the stalk of 
Lepadidse. While there is no doubt that the Cyprid larva fixes itself by 
its antennae, there is some divergence as to the morphology of the stalk. 
For, according to Darwin, Claus, Willemoes-Suhm, and others, it is due 
to an elongation of the frontal region of the larva, while, according to 
Lang, it arises from an enormous increase of the anterior part of the 
cutaneous fold which lines the internal surface of the bivalve Cyprid 
carapace, the posterior part of the same fold forming the future mantle. 
This view is corroborated by the histological homology between stalk 
and mantle. The stalk consists of an external epithelium covered by a 
chitinous cuticle, of three layers of unstriped, peculiarly ramifying, 
muscle fibres (oblique, transverse, and longitudinal), and of a central 
mass of connective tissue, which is prolonged between the muscle-fibres 
on to the epithelium. This connective tissue in the proximal region of 
the stalk incloses the ovaries and cement-glands, while in the distal 
region, where it is less developed in consequence of the extension of 
the muscle-fibres, it only incloses the ducts of the cementing (possibly 
excretory) organs. Along its length the stalk exhibits a canal of 
large calibre, bordering on the rostral surface, and lying in a kind 
of gutter, which corresponds to a depression of the longitudinal layer of 
muscles. This canal branches towards its distal end, and opens at the 
other extremity into the general cavity of the barnacle. The oviducts, 
when formed, lie along its internal margin, and accompany it till it 
enters the body. Furthermore, on the sides there lie two large nerves 
from the sub-cesophageal ganglion, but these leave the canal and branch 
to form three principal pairs within the longitudinal layer of muscles. 
All these structures are described and figured in detail. 
Vermes, 
a. Annelida. 
Perichaeta.J— Mr. F. E. Beddard has published some observations 
upon a South American species of Perichaeta, together with some notes 
on the genus. He discusses the proposed divisions, and suggests that 
* Proc. and Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow, ii. (1890) pp. 218-9. 
f Arch, de Biol., ix. (1889) pp. 313-402 (4 pis.). 
X Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1890, pp. 52-69 (2 pis.). 
