RESEAKCHKS IX HELMINTHOLOGV AXD PARASITOLOGY. IIJ 

 [March, 1860. No. 238. See Bibliography.] 



Dr. I^eidj' called the attention of the members to a specimen of the 

 singular body called Hya/o>ie»ia tnirabilis, receuth' presented by Dr. 

 Ruschenberger. It is the second specimen obtained within a short 

 time for the Academy. Both are from Japan. The specimen of 

 Hva/oiiona exhibited consists of a twisted cord of siliceous spiculae 

 over a foot in length and about half an inch in diameter. Twisted 

 around it is a coriaceous membrane with wart-like eminences, be- 

 longing to a zoophyte, w^hich Dr. L. regards with M. \'alenciennes 

 as parasitic. The cord of siliceous spiculae Dr. J. E. Gray supposes 

 to be the axis of the zoophyte, but Dr. L. wdth M. \'alenciennes 

 views it as belonging to a sponge. This latter view is apparently 

 confirmed by a specimen of a sponge, in the cabinet of the Academy, 

 from vSanta Cruz, presented by the late Dr. Griffith. This sponge 

 is an oblong oval mass, about four inches long, surmounted at one 

 extremit\^ wdth a corona of twisted cords of siliceous spiculse about 

 two inches in length. These .spiculae are very .similar in structure 

 to those of the Hyaloiioiia, mainly differing in size. 



[April 1860. No. 239. See Bibliography.] 



Dr. Leid}- stated that he had just received a short notice from 

 Prof. Leuckart, of Giessen, in which he mentions the results of some 

 experiments with Trichina spiralis. Having fed dogs with human 

 flesh containing Trichinae, he found that in a week or less the worms 

 completed their development, but without assuming the form of a 

 Tricocephalus or Strongyhis. Within the intestine of the dog the 

 generative apparatus, together with the eggs and embryos, were fully 

 developed in the Trichinae. The embryos rapidly passed awaj- with 

 the excrement of the dog. A pig, having been feed with a dog's 

 intestine containing fully developed Trichinae, was killed and dis- 

 sected on the 3d of March, and exhibited in the muscles millions of 

 Trichinae. From these facts it is rendered probable that embryos 

 of Trichinse voided by dogs find their way into the human stomach 

 through the food or drink, and subsequently burrow into the tissues 

 of the body. 



[March. 1866. No. 271. See Bibliography.] 



Dr. Leidy next directed the attention of the members to a speci- 

 men of the liver of a turkey suspended in alcohol, containing half 

 a dozen cream-colored tumors, from the size of a pea to that of a 

 nutmeg. The tumors examined microscopically appear to have the 



