ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 597 
Palaearctic Geophilidse.* * * § — Dr. Carl Verhoeff publishes a short sys- 
tematic paper on this subject, and adds to it a short discussion of Attems’ 
views on the morphology of the legs. He believes that the ordinary 
walking legs have seven joints, but the coxa has hitherto been incorrectly 
regarded as episternum. The anal or terminal legs have the same struc- 
ture, the coxa being present in them as in the others. He believes that 
this view removes many difficulties and apparent contradictions. 
S. Arachnida. 
Structure of Pseudoscorpionidae.t — Dr. F. Supino has studied 
Cherries hanii Koch or Chelifer cimicoides Fabr. He describes : — (a) the 
pair of cephalothoracic glands whose ducts open at the apex of the 
chelicerae, and probably have a poisonous secretion ; (6) the pair of silk- 
glands behind ( a ) and in front of the reproductive organs ; and (c) the 
pair of adhesive glands behind the reproductive organs. The abdominal 
gland which fills most of the cavity of the body is probably excretory 
as well as digestive, and should be called a “a hepato-pancreato- 
nephric ” gland. The heart extends from the cephalic ganglion to the 
fourth abdominal segment ; it has three lateral ostia, and is tripartite 
posteriorly. It is enveloped in a network of longitudinal and oblique 
muscles. In regard to the reproductive organs, it is noted that the 
testis is unpaired and median, and is divided by connective-tissue into 
compartments. On the whole, the work of Croneberg is confirmed. 
North American Species of Atax.J — Mr. K. H. Wolcott has made 
a study of the North American species of this Hydrachnid genus. 
Almost all are confined to fresh- water mussels, but two are free living. 
The account deals with thirteen species, of which seven are new. There 
is little variation, and the specific characters are well defined. In addi- 
tion to the systematic description, there is a chapter on the general life. 
“ The strange thing is that under conditions so stable, so many species 
should occur. In this respect, as compared with the European fauna, 
ours seems remarkably rich, since we have now thirteen recorded species 
of A tax as compared with eight from all parts of the continent of 
Europe.” 
Position of Pentastomida.§ — Herr J. E. W. Ihle discusses the con- 
fessedly somewhat slim arguments which have been used to justify the 
prevalent association of Pentastomida with Arachnoidea. He does not 
find them in any way satisfactory, and denies that there is any affinity. 
The Pentastomida are, in his opinion, to be regarded as forming a class 
by themselves, within the sub-phylum Tracheata, and derivable from 
the hypothetical Prochilopoda intermediate between Protracheata and 
Myriopods. 
€. Crustacea. 
Movements of Copepods.|| — Prof. E. W. MacBride points out that 
the movements of a species (unnamed) of marine Copepod, which he 
* Zool. Anzeig., xxii. (1899) pp. 363-8. 
t Atti R. Accad. Lincei, viii. (1899) pp. 604-8 (3 figs.). 
t Trans. Amer. Mior. Soc., xx. (1899) pp. 193-259 (5 pis.). 
§ Biol. Centralbl., xix. (1899) pp. 608-14. 
[| Quart. Journ. Micr. Sei., xlii. (1899) pp. 505-7. 
