48 RESEARCH IN PROTOZOOLOGY 



the action of the flagellates upon wood, the processes in the trans- 

 formation of this suhstance in their bodies, and the manner in 

 which it is made available to the host is not understood. That the 

 host's food is not obtained by digestion of the protozoa is indi- 

 cated by the evidence that not many of them die until shortly 

 before the molt. Cleveland states that in Rcticulitcrmcs Havipes, 

 at least, the bacteria, spirochetes and fungi living in the intes- 

 tinal canal appear to play no part in cellulose digestion. 



The intestinal flora of termites consists of a variety of bacteria, 

 spirochetes, filamentous fungi and chytridiace^ parasitic in the 

 protozoa. This flora has been little explored (Leidy, 1881 ; Hoel- 

 ling, 1910; Hollande, 1922; Damon, 1926; Duboscq and Grasse, 

 1926, 1927; Kirby, 1927). A knowledge of it is necessary for a 

 complete understanding of the conditions under which the pro- 

 tozoa live. In addition to the chrytridiace^ parasitic in the 

 cytoplasm and nuclei of amcebae and many flagellates in termites, 

 there are bacteria and other microorganisms parasitic in the flag- 

 ellates. 



References to citations in the text which are omitted in the 

 Bibliography can be found in Kirby (1926), Duboscq and Grasse 

 (1927) and Bernstein (1928). 



