l6o RESEARCHES IN HELMINTHOLOGY AND PARASITOLOGY. 



[February. 1882. No. 489. See Bibliography.] 



Filaria of the Black Bass. — Prof. Leidy stated that he had been 

 told that the black bass, Microptcrus nigricans, in some localities is 

 much infested with a red thread worm. One procured in market a 

 few days since for his table was found to be greatly infested. The 

 worms were coiled in oval masses from the size of a pea to that of a 

 large bean, and were situated beneath the skin, in the muscles, and 

 under the membrane lining of the abdomen. The worm is cylin- 

 drical, slightly narrowed, and obtusely rounded at both ends, 

 minutely annulate and otherwise smooth, pale red, bright red, or 

 brownish red, translucent, with the darker red or brownish intestine 

 and the white oesophagus shining through. Mouth a small pore, 

 unarmed ; anus a transverse elliptical pore, terminal. Oesophagus 

 long, capacious, cylindrical, straight or somewhat tortuous, slightly 

 expanded below where it is constricted from the intestine, which is 

 likewise expanded at the commencement, and ends in a short, more 

 translucent rectum. Ovarium and ova indistinctly seen. Length 

 from 3 to 6 inches by half a line in diameter. 



The worm appears to be a Filaria, but the determination of the 

 species was left for more extended observation. 



[March, 1882. No. 491. See Bibliography.] 



' On BalanoglossHs, etc. — Prof. Leidy stated that in a recent trip to 

 Atlantic City he had observed the singular worm Balanoglossus 

 anrantiacus. It occurs in moderate numbers along the shore of a 

 pond between the beach and the lighthouse. In the same position 

 he had collected Solenensis, specimens of which were presented this 

 evening. As this occurred in considerable number, he had procured 

 a sufficient quantity to try it as an article of food, and had found it 

 to make excellent soup. In the vicinity he had picked up a number 

 of specimens of Actinia rapiforniis, which had been recently thrown 

 upon the beach. On a former occasion, at Atlantic City, he had 

 observed another Actinia, the Bicidium parasiticum, which is para- 

 sitic on the large jelly-fish, Cyanea arctica, so frequently thrown on 

 shore during the summer. 



[April, 1882. No 492. See Bibliography.] 



On Sagitta, etc. — Prof. Leidy stated that in a recent trip to At- 

 lantic City, N. J., he had for the first time met with the singular 

 worm Sagitta. It occurred in large numbers in the same pond in 

 which he had previou.sly noticed Balanoglossus. Whether it was 



