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545 Reviews and Notices of Books. Text-book of Diseases of the Nose and Throat. By D. BRADEN KYLE, M.D., Clinical Professor of Laryngology and Rhinology, Jefferson Medical College, 8;.c. London : Rebman, Limited. Philadelphia, U.S.A.: W. B. Saunders. 1899. Pp. 646. THIS is a well-bound and comprehensive book of over 600 pages. 340 pages are devoted to diseases of the nose and naso-pharynx. This part of the subject is very full and elaborate and the classification adopted by the author is original. The book opens with a short chapter on the Anatomy and Physiology of the Nose, and we are glad to find that the author is brief on this part of the subject, which can be studied so abundantly elsewhere. The examina- tion of cases of nasal disease is excellently described and Fig. 14 shows more accurately than is usual in works of this kind the appearances seen in the rhinoscopic mirror on posterior rhinoscopy. The author speaks highly of posterior illumination in diseases of the nose and figures several novel " atomizers" " which he has found useful in his practice. He discusses the subject of nasal bacteria, but concludes that they play quite a secondary part in producing disease. This opinion is well expressed and is of some value. The classification of the varieties of rhinitis seems unduly elaborate and we venture to think that a clinical observer would have some difficulty in being able to differentiate the various affections of the mucous membrane of the nose pathologically described. So far as we can judge, this part of the book is free from speculative methods of treatment. In the treatment of atrophic rhinitis and ozna the author dwells upon the methods and importance of methodical cleansing of the nasal cavities and does not advocate the use of the curette or operations upon the turbinals. Throughout the book an attempt is made to base diagnosis and treatment upon pathological alterations. In some places the descrip- tions are hardly clear and perhaps might not meet with general acceptance. On pages 51 and 52 we read as follows :- " Where the floor of the nose or superior maxillary bone is thin from deficient breathing in early childhocd or other cause, the terminal nerve-filaments going to the root of the tooth course superficially along the floor of the nose, and in cases of deflected septum, where the deflection is close to the floor of the nose, with redundant tissue, the inflammatory process injures the nerve-roots and causes devitalised teeth, or may ulcerate and produce a sinus, discharging around the tooth, simulating pyorrhoea alveolaris. I have observed a number of such cases." The classification of tumours and growths of the nose is founded on general principles. In our opinion the author hardly lays stress enough on the practical difficulties met with in cases of inveterate nasal polypi and especially the co-existence of necrosis and sinus suppuration. He opposes the after-treatment of removal of polypi by the galvanic cautery and caustics, in which he would not receive universal support. Many authorities in this country look upon the persevering use of the cautery or such applications as chromic acid as very essential in the permanent eradication of polypoid growths. The diseases of the naso-pharynx are well given. We think that the various modes of operating for adenoids might with advantage have been more fully given and the all-important subject of the administration of anaesthetics in this and similar operations is, we consider, too shortly dis- missed. A good account of the difficult subject of sinus suppurations is to be found in this book. Opening the sphenoidal cells by a sharp instrument guided by the rhino- scope must be a surgical proceeding to be performed by the very few. On the diagnosis of frontal sinus suppuration the author does not dwell upon catheterisation through the infundibulum as being of much value and trans-illumina- tion is at best a very poor guide. A short but useful chapter is introduced on Related Conditions of the Eye and Nose in Disease. The section on Diseases of the Larynx is full and accurate. Separate chapters are devoted to Intubation and Trachea- tomy. Professor Keen contributes a short article on Laryngeal Operations by External Incision and advocates the Trendeles- burg position. The work concludes with a copious index. Throughout we find many suggestions for treatment, thera- peutical and otherwise. Some of them are novel, and the book bears the stamp of originality and experience. The volume is illustrated profusely by 175 illustrations, 23 of which are coloured. Most of these are new and some are exceedingly good. As instances we may mention" Adhe- sions of the Soft Palate to the Pharynx" (Fig. 121), and "Enlarged Tonsils" (Fig. 126). The coloured plates of sections of adenoids are beautifully executed. The book is well printed and got up and the misprints are very few. It is a useful and complete treatise and will doubtless be read by those practising in this class of medical and surgical diseases. Insects. By D. SHARP, F.R.S. Being Vol. V. (in part) and Vol. VI. of " The Cambridge Natural History." Edited by S. F. HARMER, F.R.S., and A. E. SHIPLEY, M.A. London : Macmillan and Co. 1895 and 1899. Price 17a. net. each vol. THIS bulky work is the most comprehensive modern treatise upon insects in the English language with which we are acquainted. Its bulk is due to the industry and extremely wide knowledge of its author, and not to that unwholesome substance known as padding. Dr. Sharp is eminently qualified to write upon this subject, being one of our best known entomologists; and he has proved that an entomologist whose main repute is derived from contribu" tions to a single group does not always go through the world, as the late Professor Chandler of Oxford once said in our hearing, "seeing only beetles." Although Dr. Sharp occupies to the full, even increasing their dimensions here and there by the use of small type, more than 1100 pages it cannot be said that either he or his editors have been without a due sense of perspective. As the author tells us in his very first sentence, " Insects form by far the larger part of th& = land animals of the world ; they outnumber in species all the other terrestrial animals together, while compared with the vertebrates their numbers are simply enormous." In a more striking phrase Dr. Sharp observes that " the larger part of the animal matter existing on the lands of the globe is in all probability locked up in the forms of insects." With such an immense mass of matter before him it is pleasing, but not unexpected from what we know of the author, to find that he abhors all the twaddling tales which have collected round the natural history of insects more than round any other group of animals. I!i must not be imagined from this that the author disdains what is called "natural history" by the reading but non-expert populace and " biologie " by the Germans. There is much of interest told about habits and ways of life, particularly among those astounding" intellect1lels>> wasps, ants, and bees. We can commend his account of ants as one of the best and most comprehensive of the sections dealt with in the two volumes. Dr. Sharp seems to. have omitted nothing upon which we have sought informa- tion by the help of an apparently very detailed index. Recently the myth of the ancients concerning the propaga- tion of bees has been dealt with by a well-known student of insects, Baron Osten-Sacken. Most of our readers will recollect in the Fourth Georgic the account of the generation- of bees from the well" tun:1ed" carcass of a young bull whose horns have jast begun to sprout. "When the meadows.
Transcript

545

Reviews and Notices of Books.Text-book of Diseases of the Nose and Throat. By D.

BRADEN KYLE, M.D., Clinical Professor of Laryngologyand Rhinology, Jefferson Medical College, 8;.c. London :Rebman, Limited. Philadelphia, U.S.A.: W. B. Saunders.1899. Pp. 646.THIS is a well-bound and comprehensive book of over

600 pages. 340 pages are devoted to diseases of the noseand naso-pharynx. This part of the subject is very full andelaborate and the classification adopted by the author is

original. The book opens with a short chapter on theAnatomy and Physiology of the Nose, and we are glad tofind that the author is brief on this part of the subject,which can be studied so abundantly elsewhere. The examina-tion of cases of nasal disease is excellently described andFig. 14 shows more accurately than is usual in works of thiskind the appearances seen in the rhinoscopic mirror onposterior rhinoscopy. The author speaks highly of posteriorillumination in diseases of the nose and figures several novel" atomizers" " which he has found useful in his practice. Hediscusses the subject of nasal bacteria, but concludes thatthey play quite a secondary part in producing disease.This opinion is well expressed and is of some value. Theclassification of the varieties of rhinitis seems undulyelaborate and we venture to think that a clinical observerwould have some difficulty in being able to differentiate thevarious affections of the mucous membrane of the nose

pathologically described. So far as we can judge, this partof the book is free from speculative methods of treatment.In the treatment of atrophic rhinitis and ozna the authordwells upon the methods and importance of methodical

cleansing of the nasal cavities and does not advocate the useof the curette or operations upon the turbinals. Throughoutthe book an attempt is made to base diagnosis and treatmentupon pathological alterations. In some places the descrip-tions are hardly clear and perhaps might not meet withgeneral acceptance. On pages 51 and 52 we read as

follows :-" Where the floor of the nose or superior maxillary bone is

thin from deficient breathing in early childhocd or othercause, the terminal nerve-filaments going to the root of thetooth course superficially along the floor of the nose, and incases of deflected septum, where the deflection is close to thefloor of the nose, with redundant tissue, the inflammatoryprocess injures the nerve-roots and causes devitalised teeth,or may ulcerate and produce a sinus, discharging around thetooth, simulating pyorrhoea alveolaris. I have observed anumber of such cases."

The classification of tumours and growths of the nose isfounded on general principles. In our opinion the authorhardly lays stress enough on the practical difficulties metwith in cases of inveterate nasal polypi and especially theco-existence of necrosis and sinus suppuration. He opposesthe after-treatment of removal of polypi by the galvaniccautery and caustics, in which he would not receive universalsupport. Many authorities in this country look upon thepersevering use of the cautery or such applications as

chromic acid as very essential in the permanent eradicationof polypoid growths.The diseases of the naso-pharynx are well given. We

think that the various modes of operating for adenoidsmight with advantage have been more fully given and theall-important subject of the administration of anaesthetics inthis and similar operations is, we consider, too shortly dis-missed. A good account of the difficult subject of sinus

suppurations is to be found in this book. Opening thesphenoidal cells by a sharp instrument guided by the rhino-scope must be a surgical proceeding to be performed by thevery few. On the diagnosis of frontal sinus suppuration the

author does not dwell upon catheterisation through theinfundibulum as being of much value and trans-illumina-tion is at best a very poor guide. A short but useful

chapter is introduced on Related Conditions of the Eye andNose in Disease.The section on Diseases of the Larynx is full and accurate.

Separate chapters are devoted to Intubation and Trachea-tomy. Professor Keen contributes a short article on LaryngealOperations by External Incision and advocates the Trendeles-burg position. The work concludes with a copious index.Throughout we find many suggestions for treatment, thera-peutical and otherwise. Some of them are novel, and thebook bears the stamp of originality and experience.The volume is illustrated profusely by 175 illustrations, 23

of which are coloured. Most of these are new and some are

exceedingly good. As instances we may mention" Adhe-sions of the Soft Palate to the Pharynx" (Fig. 121), and"Enlarged Tonsils" (Fig. 126). The coloured plates of

sections of adenoids are beautifully executed. The book is

well printed and got up and the misprints are very few. It

is a useful and complete treatise and will doubtless beread by those practising in this class of medical and surgicaldiseases.

Insects. By D. SHARP, F.R.S. Being Vol. V. (in part) andVol. VI. of " The Cambridge Natural History." Edited

by S. F. HARMER, F.R.S., and A. E. SHIPLEY, M.A.London : Macmillan and Co. 1895 and 1899. Price 17a.net. each vol.

THIS bulky work is the most comprehensive moderntreatise upon insects in the English language with which weare acquainted. Its bulk is due to the industry and

extremely wide knowledge of its author, and not to that

unwholesome substance known as padding. Dr. Sharp iseminently qualified to write upon this subject, being one ofour best known entomologists; and he has proved that anentomologist whose main repute is derived from contribu"tions to a single group does not always go through the world,as the late Professor Chandler of Oxford once said in our

hearing, "seeing only beetles." Although Dr. Sharpoccupies to the full, even increasing their dimensions hereand there by the use of small type, more than 1100 pages itcannot be said that either he or his editors have been withouta due sense of perspective. As the author tells us in his veryfirst sentence, " Insects form by far the larger part of th& =

land animals of the world ; they outnumber in species all theother terrestrial animals together, while compared with thevertebrates their numbers are simply enormous." In a more

striking phrase Dr. Sharp observes that " the larger part ofthe animal matter existing on the lands of the globe is in allprobability locked up in the forms of insects." With suchan immense mass of matter before him it is pleasing, but notunexpected from what we know of the author, to find thathe abhors all the twaddling tales which have collectedround the natural history of insects more than round anyother group of animals. I!i must not be imagined from thisthat the author disdains what is called "natural history" bythe reading but non-expert populace and " biologie " by theGermans. There is much of interest told about habits and waysof life, particularly among those astounding" intellect1lels>>wasps, ants, and bees. We can commend his account ofants as one of the best and most comprehensive of thesections dealt with in the two volumes. Dr. Sharp seems to.have omitted nothing upon which we have sought informa-tion by the help of an apparently very detailed index.

Recently the myth of the ancients concerning the propaga-tion of bees has been dealt with by a well-known studentof insects, Baron Osten-Sacken. Most of our readers willrecollect in the Fourth Georgic the account of the generation-of bees from the well" tun:1ed" carcass of a young bull

whose horns have jast begun to sprout. "When the meadows.

546

are enamelled with their earliest flowers" worms appear inthe carcass from which bees are born. Now it appears fromthe highly reasonable explanations of the entomologist ’,whose name has just been cited that what the ancientsmistook for bees were certain flies belonging to the Igenus eristalis, which are singularly like bees, and ofwhich one species, the drone fly, must be familiar to mostpersons. This opens up an interesting question whichbaffled Kirby and Spence, though some of our more moderntheorists appear to find no difficulties at all in the explana-tion. This and some other flies have the most accurate like-ness to bees and to wasps in various non-essentials. Nonaturalist could, of course, confuse them, but their generalaspect is un-fly-like and very bee- or wasp-like. One genus(volucella) has the daring habit of entering the hives of beesand the nests of wasps and there depositing its eggs. It needsno theory at all to emphasise the remarkable immunitywhich both the flies and their offspring secure at the hands,or perhaps rather jaws, of the hymenoptera. It has been

suggested-indeed, there has been a tendency positively toassert-that the likeness of the flies to bees allows them toevade the attentions of their involuntary hosts. This is an

example, only too frequent in the views of those who dealwith the singular phenomena commonly called " mimicry,"of rash generalisation without an adequate basis of fact."There are no facts," observes Dr. Sharp, "to supportany theory on the subject." The flies get there-that is allwe know. That bees and wasps would be perfectly capableof ejecting, and willing to eject, them seems obvious whenwe reflect upon the accurate senses which enable these

hymenoptera to distinguish the inmates of another nest, butthey do not. Dr. Sharp thinks that the fly larva in questionplay the useful part of scavengers in the nest.From flies to fleas is not, according to Dr. Sharp, a great

jump. The latter were at one time made into a separategroup called aptera. This name is at present reservedfor two curious groups of insects-the collembola and

thysanura-which are regarded as representing more

nearly than any living forms the ancestral types ofinsect life. The fleas are simply flies degradedthrough perpetual parasitism. 100 species exist, so that

parasitism is here, as in so many other cases, e.g., the tape-worms, productive of much variability of animals. The

common flea of man, pulex irritans, is found all over the

world. Indeed we have reason to believe that the onlyanimals which are true cosmopolites are man and his

parasites. It is a curious fact that monkeys possess nofleas save in exceptional cases of weakness or illness. This

immunity seems to be due to the habit that these creatureshave of perpetually searching for supposed residents on

their skin.Readers who are less interested in anatomical and

embryological details than in gossipy tit-bits will find

much to allure them in this book. Every summer, thelast for instance, there is much correspondence in the

newspapers concerning "mosquitos." "Although thereare few insects," writes the author, " more oftenreferred to in general literature than mosquitos yetthe ideas in vogue about them are of the vaguestcharacter." The main idea in the mind of the publicappears to be that the mosquito is a poisonous exotic insectwhich occasionally ravages this country. As a matter

of fact there are ten indigenous species in this

country of which culex pipiens is the mosquito par <?;MMC6.It is a common species in central and southern England, Dr.Sharp tells us. It also exists abroad and is " one of the mosttroublesome mosquitos of East India." There are manyinteresting facts and not a few theories about this widelyspread pest. Those who have been in the extreme north of

Europe should know and dread it well; there it abounds onaccount of the abundance of water which is essential to its

well-being as the eggs are laid in water and the larva livesthere. Millions of these flies exist who can have had no

opportunity of tasting human blood ; yet with unerringinstinct they will fasten upon the first man who breaks intotheir solitude and literally " tap his claret " with precision.Mr. Hudson has pointed out this singular case of instinctwhich is the less intelligible as they appear normally to

feed upon the juices of plants. Another puzzling factis that the female, who alone bites, injects a poisoninto the wound ; this seems to be a purposeless form ofirritation. It is, however, suggested that the irritantfluid is for the purpose of preventing the coagula-tion of the "plant juices during the process of suction."To the physician this group of flies is becoming of especialimportance because of their influence on dissemination ofdisease.

Probably the majority of those persons who are interestedin insects have a special leaning towards the butterflies andmoths. They will find all reasonable curiosity concerningthe ways ’of life of these creatures satisfied in the volumebefore us. Dr. Sharp adheres to the now rather old-

fashioned division of the lepidoptera into butterflies andmoths. There are not, however, two such opposed groups,though it is true that "all lepidoptera that are not butterfliesare heterocera (i.e., moths)."To the inexpert mind anything that flies by night and is

dully coloured is a moth, while day-flying habits and

,brilliant colouration are supposed to denote a butterfly.This, of course, will never do. Many moths rival the mostgorgeous of butterflies in their hues, while some of the

danaidse (we think) are often found in the early morningglued to lamp-posts like "strayed revellers" of another

species. Some of the more senescent and obsolescenttheories upon animal colours have been based upon theseinsects. Dr. Sharp says of the puss moth and the views aboutits larva that it realises the dictum of D. O’Phace, Esq. :-

" Some flossifers think that a fakkilty’s grantedThe minnit it’s proved to be thoroughly wanted."

This caterpillar has a pair of "tails" " from which can be

protruded flagella which whip about in a threatening manner.It is believed by some that the object of these is to lash offprowling ichneumons. But it is an expensive method, if it

be so, of producing an apparently negative result; for theselarvse are quite as much ichneumoned " as others. Then ithas a terrifying attitude ; but we have yet to learn that littlebirds are frightened, like little boys, by having faces

pulled at them. Dr. Sharp treats these matters with a good-humoured note or two, which form, as is right, but aminute fraction of the book. It will have been gathered, wehope, that this is a book abounding in facts well and clearlyput, which should be in the hands of everyone devoted at allto insects. Its handiness for the student of this group is

further increased by a very large number of illustrationsin the text, a large proportion of which are quite new and

specially designed for this work.

The Storry of Life’s Jl,Ieohanis1J1: A Reriew (If t7ie Conclll-, sions of Modern Biology in l2ec/ard to the Mechanism

which Oontrols the Phenomena of Living Actidty. ByH. W. CONN. London: George Newnes, Limited. 1899.Pp. 219. 50 Illustrations. Price 1.

THE " Library of Useful Stories ’’ continues to grow, the

subject of this review being one of its latest additions.As its sub-title indicates, this little book considers someof the problems presented by modern biology.The work is divided into an introduction and two parts.

The introduction is mainly historical, dealing with variousdiscoveries which have had an important influence uponmodern lines of thought. Part 1 is divided into two

chapters, the first of which defines a machine, and then

547

enters into a comparison between such a mechanical con-trivance and an organised body. It then passes on to the

consideration of the chief vital functions and other matters.Chapter II. deals with the cell and protoplasm, includinga description of the phenomena attending karyokinesis,fertilisation, &c. Part 2 contains but one chapter which,among other matters, discusses evolution, reproduction,heredity, and variation.On the whole the book is distinctly good ; there are a

few points, however, which might be improved. We refermore especially to the illustrations. Firstly, some are, in ourcopy at least, somewhat indistinct. Then, again, a botanistwould hardly consider Fig. 10 to represent a typical longi-tudinal section of a root apex. The impression gained fromFig. 12, illustrating ’’ plant cells with thick walls," is thatthe cells have thin walls and the protoplasm has shrunk, thusgiving the appearance of clear spaces between the cell walls Ifand contents. A wrong impression is so easily obtained bythe general reader that too much care cannot be bestowedon a popular book of science, especially as regards the illus-trations, and this being so it would have been as well to havestated what particular animal or plant each figure illustrates;this has been done in some cases, but not in all.On page 91 i may be read that "Schultze experimented

with this material by all means at his command, and findingthat the cell substance in all animals and plants obeys thesame tests reached the conclusion that the cell substance inanimals and plants is always identical." Surely it was Cohnwho, in 1850, first enunciated the fact that the sarcodeof the zoologists was identical with the protoplasm ofVon Mohl.The book is very clearly written and will give those who

desire it an excellent conception of some of the problemswhich are engaging the attention of biologists at the presenttime.

JOURNALS.

The Journal of Physiology. Edited by Sir lIICHAEL

FOSTER, F.R.S., and J. N. LANGLEY, Sc.D., F.R.S.Vol. XXV., No. 3. London : C. J. Clay and Sons. Feb. 2nd,1900. Pp. 54. Price 4s.-The articles contained in this partare seven in number. The first is by W. H. Thompson, M.D.,and is a continuation of his researches on the Influence of

Peptone and Albuminoses on the Urinary Secretion. Heconcludes from his experiments that at least 60 per cent. ofpeptone or proteose introduced directly into the circulationis retained in the body ; that a larger proportion of deatero-proteose, of purified amphopeptone, and of antipeptoneappears to be retained thin of the primary proteoses, andthat it is probable that the proteoses are held in combinationwith one of the globulins of the blood plasma as proteoseglobulinalis. 2. R. E. Lloyd, B.Sc. : On Chromatolysis inDeiters’ Nucleus after Hemisection of the Cord. The

investigation tends to show that after a unilateral lesion ofthe cord involving the antero-lateral descending tract mostof the cells of Deiters’ nucleus undergo chromatolysis. The

inference drawn by Mr. Lloyd is that the fibres of this tracttake origin in Deiters’ nucleus and not in the cerebellum.3. H. H. Dale, B.A.: On Some Numerical Comparisons ofthe Centripetal and Centrifugal Medullated Nerve Fibres

arising in the Spinal Ganglia of the Mammal. Mr. Dale’sobservations were chiefly made on the cat. He finds that thereare a few more medullated fibres in the trunk than in thenerve roots, the excess consisting probably of fibres whichpass the trunk by way of the grey portion of the ramus com-municans and end in connexion with the vessels or othertissue of the ganglion. The appearances presented by thenerves as seen in section are illustrated in a plate whichaccompanies the article. 4. David Fraser Harris, M. D. Glasg. :On the Pressure-filtration of Proteids. The experiments show

that the commonly occurring proteids pass through the poresof a Chamberland filter in the interior of which the pressureis considerably below that of the atmosphere. Caseinogen inmilk, however, and Grubler’s caseinogen dissolved in lime-water do not yield pressure filtrates. 5. D. Noel Paton,M.D. Edin., J. Craufurd Dunlop, M.D. Edin., and R. S.

Aitchison, M.D. Edin. : Contributions to the Study of theMetabolism of Phosphorus in the Animal Body. One of theconclusions arrived at by the authors of this article is thatin the normal condition, with the animal (dog and goat) inphosphorus equilibrium, the absorption and excretion of thephosphorus by the intestine are equal. 6. John Haldane,M.D. Edin., F.R.S. : The Supposed Oxidation of CarbonicOxide in the Living Body. 7. John Haldane, M.D. Edin.,F.R S. : On Cyanmethsemoglobin and Photomethmmoglobin.These are shown to be identical.

The Quarterly J01lrnal of Microseopieal Science. Edited

by E. RAY LANKESTER, F.R.S., aided by ADAM SEDGWICK,F.R.S., and W. F. R. WBLDON, F.R.S., with LithographicPlates and Engravings on wood. London: J. S, A. Churchill.New Series. No. 169. Vol. XLIII. Part 1. February, 1900.Pp. 198. Price 10s.-The contents of this number are-1.James P. Hill, F.L.S. : Contributions to the Embryology of theMarsupialia, parts 2 and 3, with two plates. The foetus heredescribed is that of the Perameles or Bandicoot, the earlystages of the embryology of which are given in some detail. 2.H. M. Bernard, M.A. Cantab. : Studies in the Retina ; Rodsand Cones in the Frog and in some other Amphibia. In the

frog Mr. Bernard finds that there are two kinds of simplecones-" the one is short without a basal vacuole, and theother about one-third longer and with a basal vacuole "

which may be very much distended. Minute measurementsare given of these structures and of the rods and he hassatisfied himself that the cones in the amphibia are merelystages in the development of the rods, a view which, if

corroborated by further research, must have important bear-ings upon the physiology of the retina. Some excellent

drawings accompany this memoir. 3. G. S. West, B.A. :On the Sensory Pi6 of the Crotalinas. This pit is situatednear a line drawn from the eye to the nostril and is divided

into two chambers by a thin partition, of each of which a

precise description is given. The walls of the cavities are

freely supplied by branches of the fifth pair of nerves andare highly vascular. No suggestion is made as to the prob-able use of the organ. The article is illustrated by a platewith many drawings. 4. J. W. Jenkinson, 14LA. Oxon,: ARe-investigation of the Early Stages of Development of theMouth. This is a polemic dealing with recent views on theearliest stages of the development of mammals and he remarksthat the phenomena which we observe in the early ontogenyof the mammalia are, in his opinion, absolutely sui generis.5. W. Blaxland Benham, D.Sc.: On the Structure of theRostellum in Two New Species of Tapeworm from Apteryx.6. The remaining article is on the Habits and Early Develop-ment of Cerebratulus Lacteus (Verrill), by Charles B. Wilson.The ce.rebratulus is a Nemertean found along the entireAtlantic coast from Florida to Massachusetts Bay at, and justabove, low-water mark. They are active at high tide and arecarnivorous. The memoir is accompanied by three plateswith numerous drawings.

VICTORIA HOSPITAL, SWINDON. -The annualmeeting of this institution was held on Feb. 10th under thepresidency of Captain F. Goddard. The report showed that225 patients had been admitted during 1899 and that thereremained a favourable balance of 146. The chairmanannounced that he had given the land, which was said to beworth .&300, for the enlargement of the hospital grounds.Captain Goddard had previously also given the site uponwhich the hospital stands.


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