540 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Sarcodictyon catenata.* — Prof. W. A. Herdman has a note on the 
yellow variety of this species. From the numerous specimens that he 
has been able to dredge off Port Erin he now knows of three coloured 
varieties. One is the red form with red spicules in the stolon and lower 
part of the polyp ; the second is the bright yellow form with yellow 
spicules in the stolon and lower part of the polyp ; while the third or 
pale-yellow form has colourless spicules throughout the colony. All of 
these Sarcodictyons have the polyps in single file, but any of them may 
exceptionally have the polyps grouped in little clumps. There is, 
therefore, no reason for distinguishing S. agglomerata from S. catenata. 
In conclusion the author makes a few remarks in regard to the genus 
itself. He thinks that S. catenata should be kept separate from 
Glavularia , and that there is at present no evidence that there is any 
other species of the genus than it. 
Alcyonacese from Ternate.f — Herr A. Schenk gives an account of 
the Xeniidge collected by Prof. Kukenthal. Of the genus Xenia six 
species have as yet been described, and to these he adds no less than 
eight new species, promising at a later time to give a full description of 
them. He finds that it is possible to divide the genus into three sub- 
genera: (1) XeniidsB with long pinnules all along the tentacle; 
(2) Xeniidse with short wart-like pinnules at the base of each tentacle, 
and longer ones at the upper end ; (3) forms with short pinnules only. 
Origin of Bell-Xucleus of Physalia.f — Mr. Seitaro Goto calls 
special attention to the formation of the bell-nucleus in this jelly-fish 
by the wandering-in of interstitial cells from the ectoderm. He thinks 
that PJiysalia presents an intermediate stage between those forms in 
which the bell-nucleus is formed as a solid mass of cells from the 
ectoderm, and such as Goryne pusilla in which cells appear to migrate 
singly into the endoderm and there form the bell-nucleus afterwards. 
Protoplasmic Connection of Lasso-cells in Physalia.§ — Mr. S. Goto 
has discovered that the lasso-cells of this jelly fish have a protoplasmic 
connection with one another. He finds that the facts now known afford 
a sufficient clue to the mechanism by which a large number of lasso-cells 
are discharged simultaneously. For, the connection of the ganglionic 
cells with one another as well as with the lasso-cells being proved, we 
have only to assume the transmission of impulses from one ganglionic 
cell to another, in order that a simultaneous discharge of numerous 
lasso-cells should take place. His own observations justify us in sup- 
posing that the protoplasmic connection among lasso-cells subsists to 
the last, and furnishes the passage for the direct transmission of impulse 
from one cell to another. 
Mode of Growth and Development of Diplograptus.|| — Mr. E. 
Euedemann finds that Diplograptus pristis and D. pristiniformis , which 
were hitherto known to grow only in single stipes, have been growing 
in compound colonial stocks. The virgulse are joined to a central con- 
* Trans. Liverpool Biol. Soc., ix. (1895) pp. 163-8 (1 pi.), 
if Zool. Anzeig., xviii. (1895) pp. 270-4. 
% Johns Hopkins Univ. Circ., xiv. (1895) p. SO (1 fig.). 
§ Op. cit., xix. (1895) p. 80 
11 Amer. Journ. Sci., xlix. (1895) pp. 453-5 (5 figs.). 
