3 JEch . 
ECniNODERMATA. 
29. Sluiter, C. P. Ueber einige neue Holothurien von der West- 
Kiiste Java’s. Tijd. Nederl. Ind. xi. pp. 332-358, pis. i.-vii. 
Preliminary notice in Versl. A.k. Amst. (2) xvi. pp. 282-285. 
General Morphology op the Group. 
See F. M. Balfour, Comparative Embryology, vol. ii., especially 
chap. xiii. H. A. Pagenstecher, Allg. Zoologie, iv. (Berlin : 1881) 
pp. 15-18, 275-277. 
The most noticeable work done on Echinoderms is probably that of 
Romanes & Ewart (27), but it is more of physiological than of morpho- 
logical importance. 
W. Flemming (Arch. mikr. Anat. xx. pp. 1-40, pis. i. & ii.) takes 
the ovum of the Echinodermata as a text for observations on cell-struc- 
ture. 
Carpenter (9) gives an account of what appear to be well established 
discoveries in the anatomy and physiology of the nervous, vascular, and 
generative systems of Star-fishes, Ophiurids, and Crinoids, and urges that 
Leuckart’s separation of the stalked Echinoderms {Pelmatozoa) might 
be more generally adopted with advantage. 
Sladen (28) is of opinion that the present Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea 
had their common ancestor in an Ophiurid-like stock. 
Agassiz (1) would regard the Palcechinoidea as one of the four sub- 
orders of the Echinoidea ; he finds that the antique characters of many 
of the new deep-sea genera are very plain, discusses some of the 
structural characters, the relations of the present to the extinct forms, 
the changes in the relations of land and sea, and gives tables of the 
distribution in depth and breadth of the various members of the order. 
Bell (5) divides the regular Echinoidea into (a) Entohranchiata. Fam. 
1, Cidaridce : and Ectohranchiata, in which the Salenidce form the palseo- 
proctous series ; all the rest are neoproctous, and are either (a) polylepid 
(Echinothuridce), or decalepid, as the Arbaciidce, Diadematidce, and 
Echinidce. The Echinidoe either have the body circular {Echinince)^ 
when the secondary plates are formed of three, or more than three 
primary pore-plates, or the morphological axis is set obliquely to the 
long axis of the test {Echinometrince), or at right angles {Heteroccntrinoe). 
The generic value of the characters of Sphcerechinus is insisted upon, and 
the radula figured. 
Apostolides (2) describes the so-called heart of the Ophiuroidea as being 
independent of the water-system, and as a gland, provided with an excre- 
tory canal. The body-cavity, which consists of an enlarged portion, which 
surrounds the digestive tube, and of a flattened portion which is found 
in the dorsal region of the anus, is entirely closed. The bursae ought to 
be regarded as respiratory sacs, and they may be seen to alternately con- 
tract and dilate. The nervous system (3) has its circum-oral nerve-ring 
contained in a “ perineural ” space formed from part of the body-cavity ; 
in minute structure the nerve-band presents a ventral tissue of brown 
cells with large nuclei, which have some resemblance to the pigment- 
cells of the Vertehrata^ and of a dorsal, or true nervous tissue, in which 
