ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 
Moll. 45 
11. Stray Biological Notes. 
The occurrence of poisoning by mussels at Wilhelmshaven has given 
rise to numerous papers and articles. Mobius (1) gives an account of 
a comparison of the mussels from Kiel and Wilhelmshaven ; he does 
not admit the existence of two varieties. Details of physiological experi- 
ments with them are recorded by Falck, while Drost gives the results 
of some analyses. Lohmeyer (1) establishes a n. var. striatus of the 
Mytilus edulis for the poisonous mussels, and lays stress upon the proba- 
bility of their having been imported into the harbour at Wilhelmshaven ; 
he also points out that the poisonous property does not depend upon the 
systematic difference, but upon the individuals having lived in unfavour- 
able surroundings ; it is, however, more often found in the variety than 
in the typical form.- In another paper (2) he recapitulates the diagnosis of 
his variety of the M. edulis. The question of varietal or specific dis- 
tinctions in the poisonous mussels of Wilhelmshaven is discussed, with 
many quotations by Kobelt (10), and the probability that some are 
transported Mytilus galloprovincialis shown. Von Martens (6) does not 
accept the hypothesis of two distinct varieties, but thinks the differences 
observed are merely individual, due to varying habitat, &c. ; he gives a 
number of references to previous instances. Schulze also is opposed to 
the hypothesis of two varieties. The poison of Mytilus has been examined ; 
both aqueous and alcoholic extracts are poisonous ; there is a non-poisonous 
base, producing salivation and diarrhoea, and a poisonous decomposition 
product, which belongs to the ptomaines : Baumert. Brieger has 
isolated this and names it “ Mytilotoxin.” Wolff (2) communicates that 
not only the mussels but starfish from Wilhelmshaven were poisonous if 
taken from certain points in the harbour, and that the virulence was greater 
the more stagnant the water ; the poisonous nature of the mussels dimin- 
ishes at certain seasons ; he concludes that the property depends on living 
in stagnant water, and shows that the poison does not exist ready-formed 
in the water; discussion also reported. He also states (1) that poison 
resides only in the liver. Virchow (1) sums up the contributions, 
repeating the conclusion that when the mussels are seen en masse, cer- 
tain peculiarities are visible, which are less noticeable in the normal 
mussels than in the poisonous ones ; the poisonous specimens lose 
their dangerous character when kept for some time in aquaria : id. (2). 
[See also anonymous articles in Rev. Sci. xxxvii, p. 605 ; S MT. fur 
die Kiisten- und Hochsee-Fischerei, 1886, Jau., No. 1 ; c ‘Weser- 
Zeitung, 1885, No. 14009 ; c Die Natur, 1886, No. 6 ; Science, vii, pp. 
175 & 176.] 
Specific distinctness of M. galloprovincialis maintained by Brusina. 
Mollusca from warm and cold areas compared ; Murray. 
Laws of colouration of Styrian Limaces summed up thus: — 1, The 
further north, the simpler the markings, so far as black is concerned ; 
2; mountains are more favourable to brilliant colouring than the plains ; 
3, in the north the red of youth is extinguished in the winter, in the 
south it is retained, aud further developed in the summer ; 4, in moun- 
tains and in the south the colour of youth is retained longer than in 
