636 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
unilocular and multilocular forms showed that there were not inconsider- 
able deviations from the general shape, and in special dimensions of 
individual parts ; on the whole, however, the question remains open, 
whether E. multilocularis and E. unilocularis are to be regarded as 
bladder conditions of two different species of Tsenia or not. The expla- 
nation of the peculiar geographical distribution of multilocular Echino- 
cocci is very difficult, for the parasite is most common where the unilo- 
cular form is a rarity. South Germany and Switzerland have produced 
five-sixths of all known cases of E. multilocularis. 
Botifera. 
Cypricola parasitica.* — Dr. E. v. Daday describes an interesting 
new form of parasitic Rotifer under the above name. As the generic 
name denotes, the parasite was found on the body of a species of Cypris. 
The body of the Rotifer is undivided and unjointed, and the wheel-organ 
is simple. There is no foot. The covering of the body is soft. The 
unpaired ovary lies on the ventral surface. The genital orifice is near, 
but separate from, the anal, and is provided externally with a cuticular 
ring, and internally with several glands. The eggs are stalked. While 
this form appears to be parasitic it is to be remembered that it is difficult 
to distinguish accurately between ecto-parasitism and symbiosis. 
Species-making 1 among Rotifers. | — Herr T. Sniezek protests against 
a tendency to multiply prematurely the species of Rotifers. They are 
very variable animals, as is exceedingly well illustrated by some species 
of Brackionus, Anursea, and Notholca. In illustration of voreilige Species- 
fabrikation he discusses Lauterborn’s Brachionus rhenanus , Skorikow’s 
B. cluniorbicularis , and France’s B. Entzii, which he thinks have hardly 
even the rank of varieties. 
Eckino derma. 
Metamorphosis of EcMnoderms.ij: — Mr. H. Bury, who has for a long 
time been engaged in the study of the development of Echinoderms, 
brings together a number of facts which he thinks it is time to publish. 
Dealing first with Holothurians, he describes the metamorphosis of 
Synapta, the investigation of which appears to require a good deal of 
care and patience. Changes occur with such rapidity as to necessitate 
a rigorous search every day for signs of those that are impending. 
Development was much slowed down by keeping the larva in cold water, 
and in this way Mr. Bury was able to obtain all the intermediate stages 
without resorting to 24 hours’ consecutive watching. Among true Star- 
fishes two very distinct types of development occur, and between them 
there do not appear to be any connecting links. The most marked 
difference lies in the behaviour of the larval oesophagus, which survives 
in the adult in one form, but is replaced by an entirely new one in the 
other. 
The former includes the larva of Asterina , which is well known from 
the researches of Ludwig and MacBride. The other type, represented 
by Bipinnaria asterigera, has hitherto been but little investigated. In 
* Termes. Fuzetek, xvi. p. 1. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., 
xviii. (1895) pp. 142-8. f Biol. Centralbl., xv. (1895) pp. 602-5. 
X Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci.. xxxviii. (1895) pp. 45-135 (7 pis.). 
