54 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Strombidse.* — Prof. R. Bergh gives a general account of this family, 
and describes Strombus gigas L., Str. gibbus Mart., L., Str. urceus L., 
Str. ( Pterocera ) millepeda , and Terebellum subulatum L. The internal 
anatomy of Terebellum has not been previously investigated, but it 
differs only slightly from that of the Strombidse. 
Cerata of Dendronotus.j — Mr. J. A. Clubb has continued the inves- 
tigations of the cerata of Dendronotus arborescens, which were begun by 
himself and Prof. Herdman. Pelseneer, who has lately studied the sub- 
ject, seems to have somewhat misunderstood the results at which these 
two authors arrived. Mr. Clubb has gone over the preparations which 
were made of their earlier work, and has verified in every particular the 
conclusions which were come to in their first paper. Considering in 
what further directions he could proceed in order to obtain additional 
evidence, it occurred to him that a series of sections cut horizontally, in 
a plane as nearly parallel as possible with the creeping surface, would 
be of great service. A minute examination of these sections did not 
reveal any tissue that could possibly be mistaken for liver, and he could 
not see that there is the least justification of the doubts which have been 
raised by Pelseneer. With regard to the innervation of the cerata, 
Mr. Clubb also finds that the original statements of Prof. Herdman 
and himself are correct. 
5. Lamellibranch.iata. 
Oysters and Typhoid .J — Profs. R. W. Boyce and W. A. Herdman 
have made an experimental enquiry into the effect upon oysters of 
various external conditions, including pathogenic organisms. The 
motives they had, when undertaking this investigation, have been firstly 
purely scientific — the elucidation of the life conditions of the oyster 
both under normal and abnormal environment. Secondly, economic or 
technological — to trace the causes and effects of diseased conditions with 
the view of determining what basis exists for the recent oyster and 
ty phoid scare. The results as yet obtained are based upon tentative 
experiments, and serve only to indicate further and definite lines of 
research. The authors impress on the reader that all the experiments 
must be repeated, and extended in several directions. Their experi- 
ments demonstrate : — I. The beneficial effects of aeration, (a) by the 
addition of water only, (Jb ) by change of water. It would appear, there- 
fore, that the laying down of oysters in localities where there is a good 
change of water by tidal current, or otherwise, should be beneficial. 
II. Results obtained by feeding upon various substances demonstrate 
the exceedingly harmful action of sugar. Those fed upon oatmeal and 
flour after a time sickened and died. The oysters thrive best upon the 
living Protophyta and Protozoa. III. The effects of stagnation are 
deleterious, owing to the collection of excretory products, growth of 
micro-organisms, and formation of scums upon the surface of the water. 
IV . As to toleration of sewage, &c., it was found that oysters would, up 
to a certain point, render clear sewage-contaminated water, and that they 
could live for a prolonged period in water rendered completely opaque 
* Zool. Jahrb. Abth. Anat., viii. (1895) pp. 342-78 (2 pis.). 
t Proc. and Trans. Liverpool Biol. Soc., lx. (1895) pp. 220-34 (2 pis.). 
t Rep. Brit. Ass., 1895, pp. 723-6. 
