516 Notices of Irish Entozoa. 



Ordo II. 



ACANTHOCEPHALA. 



" Corpus teretiusculum, utriculare, elasticum. Proboscis seriatim unci- 

 nata retractilis. Individua alia mascula, alia fceminea." 'Entoz. Synops.' 

 p. 63. 



At page 71 of the work cited the present species is thus 

 defined. 



" Echinorynchus Acus. Ech. Proboscide lineari, uncinorum seriebus 

 viginti, collo nullo, corpore longissimo, retrorsum subattenuato." 



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a, Two figures of Echinorhynchus Acus, natural size, b, Proboscis mag- 

 nified, c, Ova and supposed cotyledons, d, An ovum magnified 500 di- 

 ameters. €j, Tail of male. 



It is stated as being found in the intestines of the haddock, 

 the variable cod, the bearded cod, the whiting, hake, ling, 

 the green cod, and also in those of the Cottus Scorpius and 

 the Lophius piscatorius. To these habitats I have to add 

 that it is almost constantly abundant in the common cod, and 

 in the coal-fish {Merlangus carbonarius). 



It is useful to have some preparatory knowledge in refer- 

 ence to this species, that we may be always aware of its pre- 

 sence, for so unlike a worm does it frequently appear on open- 

 ing the intestine, that it might readily be overlooked. It 

 is then almost always flaccid, shrivelled, squalid, flat, and 

 inert, having little resemblance to a living being. But when 

 the contents of the intestine have lain a few minutes in water, 



