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SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
all showed minute clear cells, interpreted as sperm-cells, in the female 
genital organ. He admits that he has been unable to discover these 
“ sperm-forming centres ” in specimens which he has subsequently- 
examined, but the slides of the observed cases are deposited in the 
Huxley Research Laboratory for inspection. The question as to 
whether the minute cells are really sperm-cells can hardly be decided 
absolutely, without direct comparison with undoubted sperm-cells from 
a male. 
Bernard’s theory of the reproductive arrangements in Apodidae is that 
parthenogenesis with suppression of males was brought about in the 
abundance of summer ; that when desiccation and scarcity set in it 
becomes necessary to produce resting eggs which require fertilisation ; 
that some females become hermaphrodite, and possibly eventually male. 
At the same time it is more probable that true males are developed, 
under the influence of the same unfavourable conditions, out of younger 
specimens not yet sexually mature. 
Phyllopod Crustacea of Japan.* * * § — Prof. C. Ishikawa describes Moina 
paradoxa W eismn. var. japonica. It agrees in all essential respects with 
the European species, but seems to be a distinct local variety. It is the 
commonest species of Daphnid about Tokyo, abounding in all muddy 
pools, and forms the best food for young gold-fishes. For this purpose 
the cultivators of these fishes rear the Daplinids from mud containing 
the gamogenetic eggs. 
Free-swimming Copepods from West Coast of Ireland, j — Mr. I. C. 
Thompson found in a collection made by Mr. E. T. Browne off Valencia, 
six decidedly rare species : — Metridia armata , Candace pectinata , 
Pseudocalanus armatus , Monstrilla, rigida , Corycseus speciosus, and Oncsea 
mediterranea. The two last-named species are southern forms, and 
probably indicate the influence of the Gulf Stream. Mr. Thompson 
compares this collection with another made by Prof. Herdman in 1890. 
Parasitic Copepods.f — Mr. P. W. Bassett-Smith gives a useful list, 
with brief diagnoses, of parasitic Copepoda which he has found on fishes 
obtained at Plymouth. The list includes the following new species : — 
Caligus scomberi from the inner surface of the operculum of Scomber 
scomber, C. brevipedis from the gill-cavity of Motella tricirrata, Lepeo- 
phtheirus pollachius from the palate and tongue of Gadus pollachius and 
from the gills of the ling, Lernsea lusci on the gills of Gadus luscus, 
Chondr acanthus clavatus on the gills of Platessa microcepJialus, Brachiella 
merluccii from the points of the gill-rakers of the hake, Ancliorella 
quadrata from the gill-rakers of the dragonet. 
Monograph of Ostracoda.§ — Dr. G. S. Brady and the Rev. Canon 
A. M. Norman continue their monograph of marine and freshwater 
ostracoda of the north Atlantic and of north-western Europe. The first 
part of the monograph (1889) dealt with the section (I.) Podocopa, 
including Cypris, Cythere, &c. ; the present part deals with section (II.) 
Myodocopa (e. g. Asterope , Crossophorus, Cypridina, Philomedes , Nemato- 
* Zool. Mag. Tokyo, viii. (1896) pp. 7-12 (1 pi.). 
1 Trans. Biol. Soc. Liverpool, x. (1896) pp. 92-102. 
j Journ. Marine Biol. Ass., iv. (1896) pp. 155-63. 
§ Sci. Trans. R. Dublin Soc., v. (1896) pp. 621-784 (19 pis.). 
