The Pres'idenfs Address. 71 



in which the Council, as trustees of property, found them- 

 selves placed, and how necessary it was to examine every- 

 thing we have, to ascertain our deficiencies, and, as far as 

 possible, to suj^jily them, in order to make our Library, our 

 Cabinet, and our Instruments, as perfect as possible. 



The papers which have been brought before the Society 

 during the past year have presented many features of con- 

 siderable interest, and relate to various branches of micro- 

 scopical science. 



Two of these papers have related to parasites — one by 

 Dr. W. C. Mcintosh, F.L.S., on the " Gregariniform Para- 

 site of Borlasia " (March 13), and another on the " Parasites 

 found in the Nerves, «&c., of the common Haddock," by Dr. 

 Maddox (June 12). 



Dr. Mcintosh found abundant specimens of Gregarinae in 

 the Nemertian worms, known as Borlasia octoculata and 

 Borlasia olivacea. He likewise discovered numerous ova 

 containing embryos that appeared to be Gregarinc parasites, 

 though he did not witness an actual birth. It was remarked 

 that these parasitic ova were most plentiful in August, while 

 the Borlasia deposited its ova towards the end of January. 



Dr. Maddox's paper gives an elaborate account of curious 

 parasites discovered and partially described by Monro secun- 

 dus, more fully investigated by Prof. Sharpey in 1836, and 

 Mr. H. Goodsir in 1844. Dr. Maddox states that on making 

 an incision along the caudal extremity over the spinal column 

 of the common haddock, and dissecting back the muscles, 

 the series of nerves, as they pass from the spinal cord, are 

 found studded with flattened bead-shaped bodies, plainly 

 visible to the naked eye. 



Observed under the microscope, these bodies are found to 

 be cysts, averaging about -j-^-oths of an inch in diameter, and 

 containing a living parasite similar to Distoma. Many of 

 the anatomical details described by Dr. Maddox do not 

 appear to have been noticed by previous observers ; and for 

 these I must refer to the paper itself, citing only one passage 

 on which certain important conclusions are expressed. 



Dr. Maddox says, ''According to the opinion of many, 

 the encysted entozoa are regarded as immature parasites or 

 in their pupa condition, and dovibtless this may be the case ; 

 but how far the peculiar creature under consideration has 

 deviated or passed to a higher grade and become partially 

 sexually mature, I cannot say, but venture to hazard the 

 following suggestion : 



" That we have here, as in other Diatomata, a herma- 



