The Parietal Eye of Hatteria

Abstract

SOME little time ago, whilst engaged in work upon Hatteria punctata, I found a curious sense-organ embedded in the substance occupying the parietal foramen, but was unable at the time to examine the specimen further; Prof. Moseley has kindly directed my attention to a short paper published in the Zoologischer Anzeiger for March 29, 1886, by Von Henri W. de Graaf, “Zur Anatomic und Entwickelung der Epiphyse bie Amphibien und Reptilien,” wherein are described briefly (1) the development of the epiphysis, and (2) the structure of this part in the adult animal in certain amphibia and reptiles. An examination by means of sections at once revealed the fact that in Hatteria the epiphysis becomes modified in a manner more interesting than that found by Von Graaf to obtain in Anguis fragilis—the most modified form described by him.