38C SOIL PROTOZOA IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



of Sarcodina are observed, amoebae and thecamoebae being 

 present in virgin Red Karroo soil and absent from similar but 

 cultivated soil. Mastigophora are constant. Cultivation appears 

 to have caused an increase in the number of genera of Ciliata 

 observed. Further observations are needed on these points. 



II. Transvaal Soils. 

 Examination of normal (non-waterlogged) soils of the Trans- 

 vaal has been confined to samples of cultivated ground from 

 Johannesburg (Houghton Estate), to soils from the Veterinary 

 Research Laboratory; Onderstepoort, near Pretoria, and to samples 

 from Potchefstroom Agricultural College. 



Johannesburg, Houghton Estate. The soil examined was red 



loam under cultivation as a flower and vegetable garden. It was 

 collected on 15th April, 1921, and was a mixed sample of all the 

 layers to nine inches deep. It gave an acid reaction to litmus. 

 On culture the following Protozoa were obtained: — 



Rhizopoda. — A mocha prof ens, A. Umax. 



Mastigophora. — liodo gracilis, Bodo (Prowazektci) parva. 



Onderstepoort. - Two samples of soil from the neighbourhood 

 of the Veterinary Research Laboratory were obtained on different 

 occasions. 



(/) Black surface soil from near Laboratory Siding was col 

 lected during rain on 22nd March, 1921. It was fallow at the 

 time. Its reaction to litmus was feebly acid. The water culture 

 yielded : — 



Mastigophora. — I'eranenui trichophorum, Euglena viridis, 



Oikomonos (Monas) termo, Cercomonas crassicauda. 



Infusoria. — Holophrya ovum., Colpidnim colpoda, G. 



striatum, Colpoda cncullus, ('. steinii or saprophila, 



Paramoecvum aurelia, Cyclidium glaucoma. 



(ii) Black soil from near the hostels, Onderstepoort, a 



dripping tap being in the neighbourhood, was collected on 19th 



April, 1921. The sample was taken from near the surface and 



contained some grass roots. It was feebly acid in reaction. The 



following Protozoa were obtained in water culture: — 



Rhizopoda. — A mocha gruheri (also called Ndgleria 



gruberi). 

 Mastigophora. — Euglena oxyurjs, Oikomonas (jMonas) 



termo, Cercomonas crassicauda. 

 Infusoria. — Colpoda cucullus, Cyclidium glaucoma, 1'ara- 

 moecium aurelia, I', caudat u m . 



Potchefstroom. -- Samples of soil were obtained from the Agri- 

 cultural College, Potchefstroom, on 26th September, during fine 

 weather. All the samples consisted of layers of soil to six inches 

 deep, and were acid in reaction to litmus. Three of the samples 

 were examined by water culture for Protozoa. 



(/) Cultivated fallow, field sample. The organisms found 

 were : — 



Rhizopoda. — A moeha Umax. 



