ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
527 
point of view may perhaps be inferred from the closing sentence, — “ In 
this way may a perfect loyalty to the evolution doctrine throughout tho 
entire domain of cosmic process, from its lowest to its highest mani- 
festations, bring with it an emancipation from bondage to those 
mechanical principles which seem alone suggested on the lower plane 
of the inorganic, and which may, for certain purposes, though with more 
conscious effort, be applied throughout the whole sphere of objective 
science.” 
Sensitiveness to Light in Amphioxus.* * * § — Herr R. Hesse answers 
Krause’s criticism of his work. Krause’s hypothesis that the pigment 
in the spinal cord of the lancelet corresponds to the optic purple of 
the Vertebrate eye, is baseless. Hesse adheres to his account of the 
structure and function of the “ cup-eyes.” 
Lethargy in Birds.f — Dr. 0. Fabani discusses the much debated 
question as to the possible hibernation of birds, citing many statements 
both old and new. His conclusion is that, although there is no evidence 
of a strict hibernation, comparable to that of the marmot, for instance, 
yet there are cases of lethargy or suspended animation, as in Anthus 
spinoletta, lasting for a prolonged period. 
Respiration in Spelerpes fuscus without Lungs.f — Dr. E. Bethge 
infers from the distribution of capillaries that Salamandra maculata can 
breathe in gullet, buccal cavity, and skin, as well as by lungs ; that in 
Triton tseniatus oesophageal respiration is slight or absent ; and that in 
Sjpelerjpes fuscus , without lungs, both cutaneous and bucco-pharyngeal 
respirations are important. 
Digestion in Dogfish.§ — Prof. E. Yung finds that the mucosa of the 
stomach in dogfishes has deep glands whose cells resemble the Beleg- 
zellen in the stomach of Mammals. The digestive juice is very acid, 
doubtless in adaptation to the calcareous shells of the Crustaceans, &c., 
which the fishes eat. Experiments showed that a proportion of about 
7 parts of hydrochloric acid in 1000 was most favourable ; the maxi- 
mum, in Lcmna cornubica, was 11 in 1000. The artificial digestion of 
chitin did not succeed. As Richet has shown, there is no diastase in 
the stomach. 
Phagocytosis in Amphibians and Mammals. || — Mr. J. M. Berry 
has experimented by injecting lamp-black, as Miss E. J. Claypole did, 
and he confirms her results. The phenomena in Amphibia and Mammals 
are essentially the same ; the carbon passes from lymph to blood and 
vice versa ; the carbon-laden phagocytes tend to collect under serous 
membranes, and the foreign matter escapes from the body through 
lungs, intestinal tract, kidneys, and skin. 
Distribution of Batrachia.^f — Prof. J. Palacky gives an account of 
the geographical distribution of Batrachia, which is in many respects 
remarkable. There are no Arctic nor Antarctic frogs, and out of the 
* Anat. Anzeig., xiv. pp. 556-7. 
t Atti Accad. Pontif. Nuovi Lincei, li. (1898) pp. 83-98. 
% Zeitsehr. f. wiss. Zool., lxiii. (1898) pp. 680-707 (2 pis.). 
§ Comptes Rendus, cxxvi. (1898) pp. 1885-7. 
|| Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc., xix. (1897) pp. 93-106 (5 pis.). 
•Q Verh. Zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xlviii. (1898) pp. 374-82. 
