662 Notices of Irish Entozoa. 



elicited nothing farther, disclosed no appearance of proboscis 

 or internal organ, but a stream of opaque particles was seen 

 to flow from the caudal end. Some specimens were found in 

 the abdomen of the fish, unconnected with any tumor, but 

 these were few in number. 



The effect of a night's maceration in fresh water exhibited 

 by a number of the worms which had been removed from the 

 tumors, was very remarkable : they were dead, and their ori- 

 ginal length was doubled, some of them measuring above an 

 inch ; their breadth was also somewhat increased. A few 

 that were placed in a solution of salt, a little stronger than 

 sea water, were much corrugated, and some living and in 

 constant motion. 



In the duodenum of almost every fish I found some speci- 

 mens of a Bothriocephalus several inches long ; and in one a 

 single specimen of a minute Distoma. 



Belfast, October 27th, 1838. 



Since adding the above Mr. Thomson has received from 

 Lord Cole thirteen char, taken in Lough Melvin, county Fer- 

 managh ; and in every specimen tumors of a similar kind, and 

 containing the same species of worm, were attached to the 

 stomach. The head of the worm exhibited two linear lateral 

 bothria, but elsewhere it was homogeneous throughout. — 

 Some specimens of the worm were found free in the stomach 

 and duodenum, along with Boihriocephali several inches 

 long, and having also two similar lateral bothria. 



On the cceca of a trout sent in the same parcel Mr. Thomp- 

 son observed a white tumor, which, on examination was found 

 to contain an Entozoon identical with that of the char. 



[ In a private communication to the Editor, Dr. Drummond states, that 

 on examining the viscera of the fourteen char mentioned in the postcript 

 to the present article, and which were put into spirits, he found, about ten 

 days afterwards, a large number of the Entozoa, two hundred at the very 

 least computation, lying loose in the spirit, but no appearance of any rup- 

 ture in the tumors from which they could have escaped, and on opening 

 about twenty of the tumors an entire worm was contained in each. Hence 

 he concludes that the individuals found free had lain unperceived in the 

 intestines. He also remarks that though the char examined were Scotch 

 specimens, it is most probable that the same species of Entozoon is to be 

 found in the Irish fish, which his friend Mr. Thompson informs him is 

 found in the following Irish lakes : Lough Kindun and Gartan Lough, in 

 Donegal ; Lough Melvin in Firmauagh ; Lough Nabrack in Longford, 

 and Lough Dan in the county Wicklow.] — Ed. 



