NOTICES OF IRTSH ENTOZOA. 65 



Those whieh were immature exhibited only one envelope, 

 but in such as were more advanced, a second was very con- 

 spicuous, a considerable space intervening between the two, 

 especially at one end. A granular mass occupying some part 

 of the central axis was always visible in the mature, and some- 

 times in the immature ova. The round or oval masses were 

 likewise numerous, but exhibited no appearance of contained 

 ovula. With regard to these bodies I will take this opportu- 

 nity of remarking, that though at page 523 of the last volume 

 I spoke strongly against the supposition of the spicular ova 

 having any intimate connection with them, as no such union, 

 after very numerous observations, had ever presented itself to 

 me, yet I am now persuaded that they are masses of ovula in 

 a rudimentary state. On the 6th of October last while exa- 

 mining some specimens of Echinorhynchus versicolor from a 

 duck, I saw in one individual so distinctly that the round bo- 

 dies consisted of young ova, that I marked down the follow- 

 ing words in my diary. — " I saw, without any manner of 

 doubt, that most of the rounded masses were composed of 

 immature ova, their outline being so clearly visible that there 

 could be no mistake." Among the spicular free ova, too, were 

 many minute specimens which exactly resembled those in the 

 orbicular masses. In several other individuals which I exa- 

 mined from the same duck, and in others afterwards from the 

 sheldrake, I found no similar appearance ; but in the instance 

 mentioned, the ovular composition of the masses was so in- 

 disputably evident, that in my own mind there was left no 

 farther room for doubt. 



To return to our more immediate subject, — my friend Dr. 

 Bellingham of Dublin, who has paid more attention to the 

 Entozoa than any other person in this country, having kindly 

 offered to co-operate with me in illustrating our native spe- 

 cies, I gladly avail myself of his friendly assistance in describ- 

 ing the present. In a letter dated December 9th, 1838, he 

 observes, — "I have obtained the Echinorhynchus Hystrix 

 from the large and small intestines of the crested cormorant, 

 from the small intestines of Mergus serrator, and what I take 

 to be it from the rectum of the common cormorant, and of 

 the red-necked [grebe (Podiceps riijicollis ?). The following 

 are the observations which I find I had made on this species* 

 May 8th, 1838. — In large and small intestines of crested cor- 

 morant found many specimens of Echinorhynchus Hystrix. 

 In most instances they were firmly adherent to the mucous 

 membrane. The greater number and the largest existed in 

 the rectum and close to its short coeca ; in the small intes- 

 tines they were fewer and of less size. Their colour is white, 



