48 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
5. Incertae Sedis. 
Victorian Rotifers.* — Messrs. H. H. Anderson and J. Shephard 
enumerate six species of Floscularia , one of which, F. evansoni , appears 
to be new ; it was found at Oakleigh, Victoria. Eleven known species 
of Melicertidaa are recorded, and Melicerta r ingens is said to be common 
everywhere, and to be sometimes very large. New forms of this family 
are (Ecistes wilsoni , Lacinularia reticulata, and species allied to if not the 
same as Limnias granulosus , and a new variety of CEc. intermedius. Four 
Philadinidte have been found at the Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. 
Asplanchna brightwelli has for two years been found at the same spot at 
Brighton, Victoria, and Asplanchnopus myrmeleo has been found at all 
times of the year. Two Synchetidae and two Triarthridae are recorded. 
Hydatina senta was on one occasion found by hundreds. Four Notom- 
matidae, one Rattulid, one Dinocharid, two Salpinidae, and one Euchlanis 
are enumerated. Of the three Cathypnidse, Cathypna sp. (allied to 
C. luna') and Distyla ichthyoura are new. Of the Coluridm Metopidia 
ovalis is new, as is Fterodina trilobata of the two Pterodinidae. Of the 
three Brachionidae named, B. rubens is common. In addition to the two 
determined Anureidae there are probably some undescribed species. 
Messrs. Hudson and Gosse’s book is evidently very useful to Australian 
workers at Rotifers. 
Asplanchna. | — Prof. A. Wierzejski describes Asplanchna Eerrickii 
de Guerne. It is most nearly related to A. priodonta, but has different 
“jaws,” and a peculiar glandular organ composed of two large cells and 
opening above the cloaca. This gland Herrick erroneously regarded as 
testis ; it is more like a cement-gland. The author also describes A. Girodi, 
and maintains that A. helvetica Imhof and Zacharias and A. Krameri 
de Guerne are, as v. Daday also believes, synonymous with A. priodonta. 
Two other Galician species are noted, A. Ebbesbornii Hudson and 
A. Briyhtwellii Gosse. 
Echino derma. 
Echinologica.j; — Under this title Prof. S. Loven gives us some of the 
results of his life-long researches on Echinoderms. Treating of the early 
stages of the body of regular Echinoids, he tells us that the form of the 
body is discoidai or lenticular, with five primitive locomotor suckers, 
solitary and provisional. The interior of the body communicates with 
the surrounding medium by a single large water-pore. The alimentary 
canal is closed at both ends and its possessor is endotrophic, taking in 
no food from without. In this way it represents a pupal or nymphal 
condition, intermediate between the pluteus and the adult. At this time 
there are being fashioned prehensile and masticatory organs, and a new 
endoskeleton is being built up within the envelope of the body ; in this 
last there are two constituents — the calycinal system originating round 
the dorsal centre and formed of definite parts, and the coronal system ; 
the latter arises from around the ventral centre, grows upwards, and is 
* Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, iv. (1892) pp. 69-80 (2 pis.). 
t Zool. Auzeig., xv. (1892) pp. 345-9. 
X Bihang Svensk. Vet.-Akad. Hdlgr., xviii. IV. No. 1, 73 pp. (12 pis. and figs, 
in text). 
