and Laboratory Methods. 21 ()5 



In addition to the amoeboid motility, the haemosporidia are possessed of a 

 more general characteristic, namely the formation and deposition of a dark- 

 colored pigment, which, in the growing parasite, is formed at the expense of the 

 haemoglobin of the red blood corpuscles. The nuclei of the parasites, which 

 may be located in the various parts of the body, analogously to the coccidia, 

 are provided with karyosomes. 



In an article entitled " On the Haemosporidia in American Reptiles and 

 Batrachians," by Dr. Gustav Langmann (studies from the Department of Path- 

 ology, of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Vol. VI, p. 29), an account is 

 given of several parasites which were found in the blood of frogs, snakes, and 

 turtles, and as they bear a striking resemblance to those found by me in the 

 blood of the Chinese turtle (the Damonia revesii), I thought that a short descrip- 

 tion of the same would not be out of place. 



My investigation upon this subject began in the latter part of December, 

 1901, at which time I purchased a small Damonia revesii turtle from a bird 

 fancier. 



A few blood smears were made from the tail-blood of the animal, and which 

 were stained with Goldhorn's polychrome methylene blue and eosin. A careful 

 microscopic examination of these smears soon established the fact that no para- 

 sites were present. 



The turtle was then laid aside and nothing more thought of the matter, until 

 about three months later, when curiosity again prompted me to re-examine the 

 blood of this turtle. 



Fresh smears were, therefore, made and stained by the Goldhorn reversed 

 method, and upon examination were, much to my surprise, found to be infected 

 with both young and fully matured parasites of the Haemosporidia family. 



Two kinds of parasites were noticed ; one form being long and slender, with 

 usually no noticeable nuclei; the other being large, stout, bean-shaped, and 

 most always nucleated. The latter parasite seemed to preponderate over the 

 former. 



It will be seen from the accompanying photomicrograph that the parasite of 

 type 1 is long and slender; either straight or slightly curved. The nuclei of 

 the invaded cells will be found to have been pushed aside laterally to make 

 room for the parasites, which occupy a large portion of the red blood corpuscles. 

 (See plate 4.) 



I am at present unable to say anything further concerning the morphology of 

 type 1 parasite, as it was only observed in the form first described. 



TYPE 2 PARASITE. 



In its youngest form this parasite is a small spherical nucleated body located 

 near the periphery of the invaded blood cell. (Plate 2, Fig. 1 ; PL 3, Fig. 1.) 



In growing, the parasite gradually lengthens out, assuming more of an 

 ellipsoid form, with the nucleus located near the periphery of the parasite. At 

 the same time it will be noticed that the corpuscular nucleus is slightly moved 

 toward one end of the red corpuscle. In some cases there may be noticed an 

 ■enlargement of the red cell nucleus. (Plate 2, Figs. 2, 3, and 4.) 



