28 RESEARCHES IN HELMINTHOLOGV AND PARASITOLOGY. 



[No. 51. See Bibliography.] 



Dr. Leidy presented to the examination of the Society a colored 

 and several other drawings of what he terms an entophytic forest, 

 taken from a portion of the mucaus membrane of the ventriculus of 

 Passahis cornntus. He remarked that at least six species of Ento- 

 phyta were found growing upon the mucous membrane of the ven- 

 triculus of p. cornjitiis, which were often presented in great quantity, 

 frequently some thousands, and which from their number, polymor- 

 phous appearance of several species, and attachment to various ap- 

 pendages of the mucous membrane, resembled very strikingly a min- 

 iature Brazilian forest, which was heightened in some degree by the 

 existence of a nematoid worm, which recalled to mind the idea of 

 one of the serpents of such a forest. 



A somewhat similar drawing he exhibited, taken from the small 

 intestine of Jahis inarginatus. 



Other drawings were also presented. Dr. L. stated that among 

 his collection of living Julides, he had a number of times observed 

 individuals to become dull in color and become almost motionless, 

 which phenomena were followed b}^ the death of the animal. It 

 occurred to him that, in such a state, there might be exhibited some 

 change in the character of its Entophyta, as usually found in the 

 active condition of the animal. Upon removing the intestine of an 

 individual which had just died, he noticed that the entozoa which 

 usually occupied the small intestine, had passed into the rectum, and 

 upon the surface of the mucous membrane of the former was devel- 

 oped a new plant. This is an oblate spheroidal body, white in color, 

 translucent, embossed upon the surface, and presenting, when 

 viewed by transmitted light, some resemblance to a minute bleached 

 shell of an Echinus ; by reflected light, it resembled a minute, white 

 Eycoperdon. This plant was strewed all over the mucous membrane, 

 but grew in greatest quantity along the course of filaments of Enter- 

 obrus, which appeared attached to the mucous membrane throughout 

 their length by it. When compressed it opened, and spread into 

 several leaf-like segments, and exuded a clear fluid with faint gran- 

 ules. He thought that probably this plant might be another stage 

 in the existence of Entcrobnis, for in the large number of individuals 

 oi Julus which he had examined — upwards of 130 —although he had 

 observed the development of Enterobrns from spore-like bodies, even 

 to the formation of what he supposed to be the sporangia, yet he 

 had never been able to detect the formation of spores, and when he 

 saw this new plant enveloping the Enterobrus filaments he sus- 



