170 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
spermatozoa have been influenced specifically in vivo by the spermato- 
toxic serum of their own host. Since an animal can thus on occasion 
build up antibodies against its own tissues when these have become 
misplaced or altered, and since antibodies can directly or indirectly 
affect the germ-cells, it is reasonable to suppose that such influences 
may be the source of certain germinal variations. J. A. T. 
Vitality of Spermatozoa in Doves. — Oscar Riddle and Ellinor 
H. Behre (. Amer . Journ. Physiol ., 1921, 57, 228-49). The sperma- 
tozoa of ring-doves retained their fertilizing power during nearly eight 
days. This period represents the interval between the hour of isolation 
of the male and the hour the egg is laid. No evidence was obtained 
indicating weakness or modified viability in the embryos obtained from 
stale sperm fertilizations. Staleness of the spermatozoa did not appreci- 
ably affect the sex ratio in the birds studied. J. A. T. 
Spermatogenesis of Lizards. — Theophilus S. Painter {Journ. 
Exper. Zool ., 1921, 34, 281-328, 4 pis., 6 figs.). Seven species of 
lizards were studied. In Anolis carolinensis there are 12 large V-shaped 
macrochromosomes and about 22 dot-like microchromosomes in the 
sperm atogonial cells. In the primary spermatocytes there are 6 macro - 
chromosomes and 11 microchromosomes. One of the macrochromosomes 
is bipartite and passes to one pole of the cell undivided. As a result, 
the second spermatocytes are of two kinds, part with 5 and part with 
6 macrochromosomes. The same holds essentially for Sceleporus spinosus 
and some others. Sex-determination in lizards is of the “double 
accessory ” type ; that is, the X-chromosome is derived from two 
spermatogonia! chromosomes. The males are heterozygous as regards 
sex. A study of ovarian tissue in Sceleporus spinosiis indicated that 
the female was of the 2 X condition, for two more macrochromosomes 
were found present than in the males. Dividing somatic cells of 
embryos show either 12 or 14 V-shaped macrochromosomes, indicating 
males and females. All the six Iguanids studied show 12 macrochromo- 
somes in the dividing spermatogonia, and in every case at least three 
pairs of the chromosomes are strikingly alike in size and shape. 
Syncytial masses and giant spermatozoa are commonly found in the 
testes of all the lizards studied. J. A. T. 
Complete Hermaphroditism in a Bullfrog. — Wilbert A. Clemens 
{Anat. Record , 1921, 22, 179-81, 1 fig.). A specimen of Ranci catesbiana 
showed the following male characters — a left testis (and doubtless a right 
testis also, which the student dissector had removed), paired seminal 
vesicles, paired vocal sacs, paired thumb pads ; and the following female 
characters — paired ovaries with ova and paired oviducts. There would 
seem to be no doubt, therefore, that this frog had complete and 
functional paired sets of both male and female reproductive organs. 
J. A. T. 
Migration of Ear Vesicle in Tadpole. — George L. Streeter 
{Anat. Record , 1921, 21, 115-26, 11 figs.). The developing ear vesicle 
shifts its position considerably in relation to the brain. The detach- 
