134 RESEARCHES IN HKLMINTHOLOGY AND PARASITOLOGY. 



Prof. Owen, upwards of forty years ago, mentioned the existence 

 of a green mould he had observed in the lungs of a Flamingo, which 

 died in the menagerie of the Zoological Society of London, but he 

 gave no description of the plant by which we can recognize it. 

 Since then many accounts have been given of the existence of fun- 

 gous vegetation in the diseased lungs of various birds, but I think 

 it has not been determined whether the diseased condition was due 

 to the fungus or whether this was a subsequent production. 



The plant observed in our diseased Flamingo belongs to the 

 Moulds or Mucedines, and is evidently an Aspergillus. A number 

 of species of this genus have been described, growing on various 

 decaying substances. The common Blue Mould found in cheese and 

 bread kept in a damp place is the Aspcrgilhis glaucus. From this 

 the mould of the Flamingo is quite distinct in the structure of the 

 fruiting receptacles, in which respect it more nearly resembles the 

 Aspergillus dubius, growing on rabbit's dung. The Aspergillus of 

 the Flamingo I suspect to be the same as one described by M. 

 Robin under the name of Aspergillus nigrescens, discovered by him 

 in the lungs of a pheasant {P/ieasianus colchicus) affected with 

 phthisis. 



In the Flamingo mould the mycelium consisted of a dense flock of 

 delicate ramifying filaments pervading the indurated pulmonary 

 tissue, which consisted largely of nucleated cell elements and gran- 

 ules. The threads of the mycelium were branching, and occupied 

 on the interior with clear globules appearing like rows of beads. 

 The threads measured usually the i -500th of a millimeter or less in 

 diameter. 



The fruiting stems (see accompanying figure) were straight, from 

 one-fourth to two-fifths of a millimeter long, not articulated, usually 

 simple, and rarely divided, approximating a right angle near the 

 head. They were about the 1-2 50th mm. wide at the mycelial 

 origin and double the width approaching the head. The head con- 

 tinuous with the stem was pyriform, or the stem expanded into a 

 globular receptacle, which was closely crowded with linear processes 

 or sporophores, supporting the spherical, translucent colored spores. 

 The latter profusely invested the heads, but were too ripe and readily 

 detached to determine their exact arrangement in relation with the 

 sporophores. These, on the contrary, remained firmly attached to 

 the receptacle. 



The receptacles measured from i -60th mm. to i-^oth mm. The 

 stratum of sporophores was from i-i66th mm. to i-i25th mm. thick. 

 The spores were i-333d mm. in diameter. 



