^/d4 Miscellaneous. 



worm, like the Tcenia serrata'' M. Valenciennes' observations 

 agree closely with those of Von Siebold already given in this Journal 

 (7. c. supra) ; but he states that the Tsenioid worms produced from 

 the Cysticercus pisiformis in his experiments never possessed gene- 

 rative organs, and the articulations never exhibited the genital pores 

 situated on tubercles of the true Taenia serrata*. In the case of 

 the second dog referred to by M. Milne-Edwards, in which adult 

 Tsenias furnished with generative organs were found, M. Valenciennes 

 states, that out of the twenty-five specimens of the supposed Tcenia 

 serrata there were only two in which the generative organs were de- 

 veloped ; these he admits to have belonged to that species, but adds, 

 that as the dog was greatly infested with worms of other species, he 

 js by no means convinced that the two specimens of Tcenia aerrata 

 furnished with generative organs were produced from the Cysticerci 

 administered. He also remarks, in opposition to the opinion of Van 

 Beneden and others, that the Cysticerci are the larval forms of Taenioid 

 worms ; that notwithstanding the abundance of the Tcenia serrata in 

 the intestines of dogs, even in towns, their opportunities of devouring 

 the entrails of rabbits, the only situation in which the Cysticercus 

 pisiformis has been found, are exceedingly rare ; whilst, with regard 

 to the Cysticercus fasciolaris of the rat, which is stated by Kiichen- 

 meister and Siebold to give rise to the Tcenia crassicollis of the cat, 

 he observes that the cystic worm in question is of very rare occur- 

 rence, although the Tcenia said to be produced from it is to be 

 found in almost every cat. — Comptes JRenduSt 30th April 1855, 

 p. 997. 



Note on the Trichomonas vaginalis of Donne. 

 By MM. ScANZONi and Kolliker. 



Notwithstanding the numerous published observations on the 

 Trichomonas vaginalis described by Donne, the true nature of this 

 creature does not yet appear to be ascertained. Some regard it as 

 an animal, and place it amongst the Infusoria (Donne, Dujardin 

 and Raspail), or amongst the Acarina (R. Froriep, Ehrenberg). 

 The most recent observers consider the Trichomonads as epithelial 

 cells detached from the uterus, and deny that they are animal orga- 

 nisms (Lebert, Valentin, J. Vogel, Von Siebold and R. Wagner). 

 For ourselves, we must confess that we were amongst those who 

 doubted the animal nature of Trichomonas. 



But after having more attentively studied these formations, and 

 the mucus of the generative organs in many individuals, we have 

 ascertained that the mucus of the neck of the uterus never contains 

 Trichomonads, which would not be the case if they were only 

 vibratile cells. We have also seen that the Trichomonads resemble 

 true Infusoria in every respect. 



Before proving this last assertion we may say, that Donne's 



* It is to be observed, however, that M. Valenciennes does not inform 

 lis of the length of time over which his experiments extended. 



