150 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATINO TO 
conclusion that in the higher animals the spermatozoa are incapable of 
nourishing themselves, or of differentiating without assistance. In 
various degrees there has come about a profitable division of labour in 
the testis between the reproductive cells proper and the nutritive cells. 
This specialisation is very variously expressed, as the author indicates 
in detail. All the various elements known as cyst-cells, follicle-cells, 
basal-cells, &c., are physiologically equivalent ; they are the nutritive 
cells of the maturing spermatozoa. 
Effects of Castrating Cocks and Hens.* — Herr H. Sellheim has 
made a number of interesting experiments. The castration of young 
cocks has a very diverse effect on the secondary sex-characters, some- 
times decreasing them, sometimes increasing them. The capons seldom 
crow, or do so abnormally ; moulting is normal ; attempts at copulation 
are rare. But one general result seems to be established : — that the whole 
body is affected ; the larynx is intermediate in size between that of cock 
and hen ; the syrinx is weakly developed ; fat accumulates in the sub- 
cutaneous and subserous connective tissue ; the brain and heart are light 
in weight ; the skeleton shows many abnormalities. The experimenter 
describes the thorough castration of the hen as almost impossible, and 
changes in the secondary sex-characters were little marked. 
Passage of Toxins from Foetus to Mother, j — A. Charrin has made 
a number of experiments to test this possibility. Soluble bacterial pro- 
ducts (of Loffler’s bacillus, <Vc.) were introduced into unborn rabbits in 
eight cases, in five of which there was evidence that the toxin traversed 
the placenta and affected the mother ; in two cases peritonitis resulted ; 
and in one case the rabbit survived unaffected. In a second set of experi- 
ments, he used pyocyanic toxin in eleven cases, and three seemed to 
show that the resisting power of a pregnant female towards a particular 
microbe may be increased through the foetus. It does not seem, how- 
ever, that the experiments were sufficiently numerous or conclusive to 
variant any general statement. 
Intercellular Bridges in Development of Amphioxus.J — Herr H. 
Klaatsch describes a well-developed system of intercellular connections 
in the early stages of Amjpliioxus . They persist until the end of the 
gastrulation at least. It is further noted that, while ectoderm cells are 
thus linked together, and endoclerm cells likewise, there is no connection 
between the elements of the two layers except at the transition-area 
where they meet. 
Embryos of Ch!amydoselachus.§ — T. Nishikawa makes some con- 
fessedly fragmentary notes on the embryos of the rare Japanese shark 
Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garm. The animal is viviparous, and breeds 
in spring. The left oviduct is somewhat rudimentary ; the nidamental 
gland of the right side is more developed than that on the left ; the 
right oviduct is greatly distended with the eggs (3-12). Various 
stages of embryos are described, but we fail to find anything note- 
worthy. 
* Beitr. Geburts. u. Gynak., i. (1898) pp. 229-46. See Zool. Centralbl., vi. 
(1899) pp. 38-9. t Comptes Rendus, cxxvii. (1898) pp. 332-5. 
% SB. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1898, pp. 800-6 (4 figs.). 
§ Annot. Zool. Japon., ii. (1898) pp. 95-102 (1 pi. and 3 figs.). 
