740 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Appendages of Triarthrus Becki.* * * § — Mr. W. D. Matthew has had 
the opportunity of examining some specimens of this Trilobite in which 
the organs of the under side are attached to the body, and are fairly well 
preserved. The most noticeable character, indeed, is the presence of 
long, many-jointed, rod-like attachments to the front of the head, which 
are said to resemble exactly the antennae of Crustaceans. Of the ventral 
appendages, some may have been branchial in function. 
On the whole, the resemblance to Linmlus is not so striking as is 
the suggestion of a more comprehensive type, “ approaching the general 
structure of other Crustacea rather than ‘that of any special form.” 
Though Triarthrus usually scuttled through soft mud, it would appear 
to have had considerable swimming powers, which were probably more 
perfect than in the later types of Trilobites. 
Mr. H. M. Bernard f expresses great satisfaction at this discovery, 
and thinks that the Trilobites may “ take a firm place at the root of the 
Crustacean system, with the existing Apus as their nearest ally.” 
Vermes. 
a. Annelida. 
Alciopidse of Messina.^ — Dr. E. Hering gives detailed accounts of 
the structure of eight species of Alciopa found at Messina. Some are as 
transparent as water, and have tentacles and cirri less developed than 
the more opaque species ; on the whole, the characters of the latter show 
that they are of the two groups the one more closely allied to Phyllodoce. 
There are some notes on synonymy, and Alciopa Cari and A. Bartelsii 
are described as new species. 
Intra-epidermal Blood-vessels in Skin of Earthworm.§ — M. M. 
v. Lenhossek finds that by Cajal’s modification of Golgi’s method it is 
possible to demonstrate very clearly the intra-epidermal blood-vessels 
in the skin of the earthworm. These vessels are chiefly found in the 
circular muscular layer, whence trunks, parallel with one another, are 
given off at right angles ; they do not appear to form continuous circles 
round the body. The author suggests that their function is not, as is 
usually supposed, respiratory, or at any rate not respiratory only, but 
that it is they which keep the surface of the earthworm moist. 
New Genus of 01igochaeta.|| — Mr. H. J. Moore has a preliminary 
account of a new genus of earthworm, common near Philadelphia, 
which he proposes to call Bimastos. The setEe are arranged in four 
couples ; the region of the male pores is much swollen, and suggested 
the generic name. With the exception of its distinct clitellum and its 
terminal anus, the worm at first sight resembles Criodrilus. The genital 
protuberances are due to the large size of the “ prostate ” glands which 
lie in somites xv. and xvi. There are no spermathecse. Puller details 
are promised. 
* Amer. Journ. Sci., xlvi. (1893) pp. 121-5 (1 pi.), 
t Nature, xlviii. (1893) pp. 582 and 3. 
x SB. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien, ci. (1892) pp. 731-68 (6 pis.). 
§ Ter. Nat. Ges. Basel, x. (1893) pp. 84-91 (1 fig.). 
l| Zool. Anzeig., xvi. (1893) pp. 333 and 4. 
