256 RESEARCH IN PROTOZOOLOGY 



opportunity for someone to carefully study and publish on the 

 flagellates in our American tipulids. To the author's knowledge no 

 one on this continent has yet examined trichopterous larvae for 

 flagellates, although such larvse are usually easily obtained. 



Another problem is suggested in a statement by Mackinnon in 

 which she expresses her belief that the flagellate Rhizofviastix , 

 which she found in the larva of Tipiila, a crane-fly, is the same as 

 that which had been found by Alexeieff in the intestine of an 

 axolotl. Here is a problem. Can insect flagellates be introduced 

 into cold-blooded vertebrates? And the converse — can the flagel- 

 lates of cold-blooded vertebrates develop in these aquatic larvse 

 (Tipula and trichoptera) ? 



Thus far only one flagellate of this group, Trichomastix passali, 

 has been cultivated, and that by Tanabe (1926). Efforts should be 

 made to cultivate the others. The flagellates of the crane-fly larva 

 would be a good starting place because so many species are to be 

 found in this insect. 



