ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
3G9 
Earthworms from Ecuador.* — Dr. W. B. Benham gives a detailed 
account of a new Earthworm, collected by Mr. E. Whymper, which he 
calls Rhinodrilus ecuadorensis. The locality at which this species was 
taken is interesting, as it is from Cayambe, at a height of 14,000 feet. 
The author takes the opportunity of correcting some mistakes of 
preceding anatomists. 
Ciliated Organs of Hirudinea.f — Prof. H. Bolsius commences his 
treatment of this subject by dealing with the ciliated organs of Nephelis. 
He comes to the conclusion that, if their organs have the same morpho- 
logical significance as in Chaetopods, they have certainly very different 
anatomical relations, and quite another function. He cannot consider 
that the ciliated organs should be regarded as the terminal infundibula 
of segmental organs. They are not funnels, for they are cupuliform and 
have an imperforate base ; and they do not form the ends of the seg- 
mental organs. Moreover, they are anatomically separated from the 
segmental organs by the interposition of other organs. 
As to the functions of these ciliated bodies the author offers two 
suggestions. They may take part in keeping up the circulation of the 
blood in the vessels; this they would effect by means of their long cilia. 
Or, it is possible that they are the points at which the wandering cells 
of the blood are formed. 
These organs may be shortly described as small cups, the edge of 
which is particularly formed by large ciliated cells, which are simple 
in the young and bilobed in the adult. They have an imperforate floor 
formed of non-ciliated cells. They are suspended by connective cells 
of varying form to the walls of a spacious capsule or vesicle, in such a 
way that the liquid of the vesicle bathes them all round. The capsule 
itself has a delicate, non-eontractile wall, formed of a single layer of 
cells. The ciliated organ and its capsule have no connection with the 
excretory organ. 
Sensory Corpuscles and Cutaneous Glands of Unarmed Gephyrea.t 
— Prof. E. Jourdan has investigated the sensory corpuscles which are 
scattered over the whole surface of the body of Sipunculus nudus ; 
varying in number in different regions, they are most abundant near the 
hinder extremity, but in all cases they have the same structure ; they 
are formed of epithelial cells, which are evidently derived from the 
general epithelium of the walls of the body, and they are so grouped as 
to form a distinct corpuscle. The peripheral end penetrates a large 
cuticular pore, and in this the free ends of the cells are brought to the 
surface. As to their minute structure there is, in the centre of the 
corpuscle, a bundle of very delicate fibrillar cells, comparable in their 
general appearance to the olfactory rods or central gustatory cells of 
Vertebrates. The bundle of rods ends near the surface of the cuticle at 
the level of a small crateriform depression ; at the base of this there are 
some short hairs which appear to be rather protoplasmic structures than 
rigid cuticular hairs. These central elements are sensitive, and are 
surrounded and protected by gland-cells, which are easy to distinguish 
* Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ix. (1892) pp. 237-4G (1 pi.), 
t La Cellule, vii. (1891) pp. 291-321 (2 pis.) 
J Ann. Sei. Nat., xii. (1891) pp. 1-14 (1 pi.). 
2 D 
1892. 
