44 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
a well-developed bursa (accessory vesicle). Four optic aggregations in 
the cerebral area, but no eyes on the margin of the body. 
This form, which is distinguished from all known species by the 
presence of marginal chitinous spines, was found at Trieste, and was 
noticed but not fully described by the author thirteen years ago. The 
largest of the eight specimens found measured 25 by 12 mm., but the 
thickness of the body is only 0*5 mm. The spines lie rather on the 
periphery of the dorsal surface than on tho margin of the body ; they 
are absent from the anterior fourth, but are closely packed on the rest ; 
some are smaller than the rest and will obviously replace them ; the 
largest spines are found on the last third of the body, and project not 
more than 0 * 25 from the surface. The youngest are simple hollow 
processes, almost transparent, and with a dermal papilla projecting into 
them, almost to their tip ; a basal plate becomes developed which is 
striated parallel to the long diameter of the spine ; as they grow the 
plates take on an oval form, and the colour gets darker and darker. 
The spines appear to be organs for defence and for seizing prey. Brief 
notes are given on the other organs, but there are no histological details. 
Mode of Feeding in Flukes.* — M. A. Railliet reports that some 
sheep, which had died from rot, were injected with a blue colouring 
matter previous to dissection at the Veterinary School at Alfort ; the 
flukes in the liver of one of these were carefully examined and were 
found to be themselves injected, the ramifications being stained blue. 
On teasing, it was easy to see that the contents of the intestine were 
formed of coloured plaster. At the same time it must be noted that 
there was not the least trace of the injection in the lumen of the bile- 
ducts. M. Railliet thinks that this discovery settles the disputed ques- 
tion of the mode of feeding of Flukes. He cannot doubt that the 
Flukes were occupied in sucking the vessels when the injection was 
driven in, and it may be justly supposed that these parasites are in the 
habit, under ordinary circumstances, of feeding on the blood of their host. 
M. R. Blanchard f points out that this observation may explain the 
presence of erratic flukes in the blood-vessels ; when they gain an en- 
trance they are carried along by the current, are stopped in a capillary, 
and give rise to a tumour. 
Nature of Monostoma leporis.l — M. A. Railliet has been able to 
convince himself that the so-called Monostoma leporis , described by Kuhn 
as a Trematode, is a pisiform Cysticercus ; two years before Kuhn, 
Rudolphi described a Cysticercus leporis variabilis. 
Distribution of Gyrocotyle,§ — Sig. F. S. Monticelli believes that 
Gyrocotyle is a parasite peculiar to the Chimseridse, that Chimsera and 
Callorhynchus each harbour a species, and that the parasites have inter- 
mediate hosts in bivalves ( Mactra , &c.) eaten by the Chimasridas. 
Ova and Embryos of Temnocephala chilensis.|| — Sig. F. S. Monti- 
celli states that the ova of Temnocephala chilensis are fastened at either 
* Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xv. (1890) pp. 90-1. f T. c., pp. 91-2. 
\ T. c., pp. 132-3. 
$ Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat., xxxii. (1890) pp. 327-9. 
j| T. c. Sec Centralbl. f. Baktcriol. u. Parasitenk., viii. (1890) pp. 500-1. 
