1913.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 141 



The female is 2.5-30 cm. long, filariform, 0.5 mm. in breadth. The 

 mouth is simple, unarmed, circular. There are no papillae or other 

 special features at the cephalic extremity. Head is continuous with 

 the body. Caudal extremity straight, conical. Anus subterminaL 

 Vulvar orifice immediately anterior to same. 



The male measures 11 cm. in length. It closely resembles the female 

 except the tail. This is strongly curved into three or four spiral 

 turns. There are two unequal sharp spicules, the longer 70,'j- in 

 length, the shorter 45/^-. There are five pairs of closely placed 

 preanal papillge and one pair of postanal. 



The still living embryos measure 280 to 330 microns in length 

 by 4 in breadth. They have a delicate sheath, lashing motion^ 

 and no progression under cover slip. Not examined in hanging drop. 

 Stained specimens exhibit blue spots at irregular intervals, not 

 uniformly enough to be established as head or tail spots. They 

 have been injected hypodermically into kittens with the expected 

 result: no transmission after a lapse of five months. 



It was at first thought, with our imperfect specimens, that we were 

 dealing with Filaria striata (Molin). This worm is briefly described 

 in Latin: 



''Os inerme, minimum; corpus filiforme, longissimum, tenuissime 

 transversim striatum; extremitas anterior crassior; et posterior 

 obtusse; extremitas caudalis maris laxe spiraliter torta, foveola 

 ante apicem limbo cincta, septem papillis permagnis utrinque proedita 

 vagina breve tubulosa; penis brevissimus uncinatus; extremitas 

 caudalis femine inflexa. Longit. mar. 4.5" crassit. \"' . Longit. fem. 

 V 3"; crassit. \"'r 



With the occurrence of another autopsy many specimens of both 

 sexes were obtained. It is now certain that we have not here 

 Filaria striata (Molin), although the size and habitat of the two are the 

 same. The female might fall under the description given above for 

 striata, but the followdng differences are seen in the male. 



1. The tail is strongly coiled. 



2. There are six pairs of papillae. 



3. There are two spicules. 



The last difference especially would appear to warrant the naming 

 of a new species. 



Tropidooerca contorta n. sp. 



Numerous worms were found in' the proventricle of a concave- 

 casqued hornbill, Dichocerus hicornis (P. Z. G. 2,640). The mucosa 



