456 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
found in abundance on the coast of New South Wales. Some are bright 
orange anteriorly, and colourless posteriorly, while others are colourless 
throughout ; this is probably a sexual difference. The largest example 
measured, when moderately extended, seven inches. 
Food of Sagitta.* — Mr. A. T. Masterman’s article under this head 
consists of two parts; attention is drawn to Mr. T. Scott’s proof that 
Sagitta is one of the enemies of our food-fishes ; the original portion of 
the article deals with young Sagittse serving as food for Obelia , on which, 
as the author thinks, they had themselves meant to browse. 
Protandric Hermaphroditism in Myzostoma.-f — Dr. W. M. Wheeler, 
from a study of the four Mediterranean species of this parasite, finds 
that the true ovaries have been overlooked. He finds that they are 
the organs which Nansen noticed, and called problematical organs; 
under high powers they are seen to be solid proliferations of the peri- 
toneal epithelium over a very restricted area. Especially in young 
forms karyokinetic figures may be detected in the minute cells. Three- 
celled clusters are formed, and break away, migrating into the ducts 
leading to the smaller caecal ramifications of the “ovary”; they ulti- 
mately attach themselves to the epithelial walls of the casca and begin 
to grow. Their course of development so much resembles that of 
Chaetopods as to afford an additional indication that the Myzostomida 
are degenerate Annelids ; it follows also that the so-called ovary is the 
true body-cavity. 
As these bodies are also found in the complemental males, it is clear 
that these small individuals are not really males, but hermaphrodites, 
functionally male in youth, functionally female in old age. 
Rotifera of Wiirttemberg.i — Herr L. Bilfinger has done good service 
in publishing, in two papers, a list of the 208 species of Rotifers which, 
in the course of five years, he has found in various parts of Wiirttemberg, 
with critical remarks, sometimes confirming and sometimes correcting 
and amplifying previous observations. 
This is the kind of work most needed, and will greatly assist in ren- 
dering perfect a second edition of Hudson and Gosse’s Monograph 
whenever such a work may be undertaken. 
Herr Bilfinger has not only recorded as occurring in Wiirttemberg 
most of the commoner species, but has also found a number of very rare 
Rotifers, such as Ajpsilus cutiformis, Floscularia mutabilis, and F. Hoodi ; 
the last named has previously been found in Scotland only. Two species, 
Stephanops emarginatus and Proales caudata , are described as new. 
E chino derma. 
Anatomy and Development of Cucnmaria glacialis.§ — Herr T. 
Mortensen finds that the long calcareous corpuscles of this Holothurian 
have a smooth, thin edge, which allows the corpuscles to slide a little 
over one another when the animal is contracted. The corpuscles in the 
Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., xiii. (1894) pp. 440 and 1 (2 figs.). 
"t Zool. Anzeig., xvii. (1894) pp. 177-82. 
j Jahreshefte Yer. Yaterl. Naturkunde in Wiirtt., 1892, pp. 107-18, and 1894, 
pp. 35-65 (2 pis.). § Zeitschr. f. wiss. Zool., lvii. (1894) pp. 704-32 (2 pis.). 
