PARASITIC PROTOZOA FOUND IX SOUTH AFRICA. 039 



Entodiniuni and of Diplodiniuni may be found oii wet grass and 

 in aqueous washings of fresh grass and even of dried grass 

 (fodder) from sheep runs and pasturage. The firm cuticle of the 

 Ciliata sufficiently preserves the organism during such exposure. 

 Sheep and cattle are infected with the ciliates mentioned while 

 eating grass or hay. 



Spirochietes, similar to those recorded in my last communica- 

 tion as occurring in the reticulum of sheep, were seen in the 

 rumen, as well as in the reticulum, of a sheep in Johannesburg 

 in Febi'uary. 



A few Spiroclisetes of the >S'. balbianii type were again seen 

 in the digestive tract, as well as in the digestive gland, of 

 Pliysupsis africaiia. Tlie Gastropod hosts, like those of last year, 

 were obtained in tlie neighbourhood of Durban. 



A few specimens of a Spirochtete of the S. balbianii type have 

 also been observed in rectal scrapings of a Xonopus hevis. The 

 organisms measured about 50^i to o'2\i long. S. balbia)iii, or allied 

 types of this crested Spirochsete, have now been recorded from 

 the alimentary tracts of Lamellibranchs, Gastropods and 

 Amphibia. It seems that S. balbianii was at first a water- 

 inhabiting Spirochaete that has been swallowed by various 

 anhnals, and lias habituated itself to life in digestive tracts of 

 various hosts. 



A('Kxowli<:dgmexts. 



I have much pleasure in thanking the Director and Officvrs 

 of the Veterinary Research Laboratory at Onderstepoort and the 

 Officers of the Johannesburg Abattoirs for material. Also, I wish 

 to thank the Research Grant Board very cordially for a grant 

 towards the expenses incuiTcd in these investigations. 



