78 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
When observed in the fresh blood of the snake the organism 
exhibited no characteristics which would distinguish it readily from 
many other trypanosomes. It was actively motile, with a short free 
flagellum terminating the undulating membrane, which extended 
along about half the length of the body. The posterior (aflagellar) 
half of the body was drawn out to a sharp point. Though the 
trophic nucleus was easily visible in the living animal, the kinetic 
nucleus was observed only after staining. The cytoplasm was finely 
granular in appearance and uniform throughout. 
In smears stained by Giemsa’s method, the following structure 
was observable (see figs. 13, 14) :— 
The body is sharply pointed at both ends, with the trophic 
nucleus lying near the middle as a homogeneous pink mass of 
granules. The flagellum and undulating membrane appeared the 
same as in the fresh preparations, but the kinetic nucleus, with the 
origin of the membrane, &c., could now be made out accurately. 
The kinetic nucleus itself is a small granule staining a deep purple 
with Giemsa’s stain. It is remarkable on account of its position. 
Sometimes it was situated well behind the trophic nucleus (fig. 13), 
but at other times it was placed actually in contact with it (fig. 14). 
Intermediate positions were also seen. The latter arrangement, 7.c., 
in contact with the trophic nucleus, gives the animal an appearance 
suggesting an organism which is halfway between a Crithidia and a 
Trypanosoma. The average length of the organism (including the 
free flagellum) is 30 u.-40 up. 
So far as I am aware, only two trypanosomes have been recorded 
from snakes hitherto: 7’. erythrolampri (Wenyon, 1908) from 
Erythrolamprus esculapii (tropical America), and 7’. naice (Wenyon, 
1908a) from Naia nigricollis (Africa). Only one of these was satis- 
factorily investigated as regards its nuclear apparatus (7'. erythro- 
lampri), and it is a curious fact that it shows the same peculiarity 
which I have pointed out above in the case of 7. tropidonoti. The 
two organisms are, in fact, very closely similar in other respects 
also. 
Another trypanosome in which the kinetic and trophic nuclei are 
in close proximity has recently been described—under the name 
T. pertenwe—by Miss Robertson (1908) from the blood of the Ceylon 
geckoes, Hemidactylus triedrus and H. leschenaultit. 
(2) Spirocheta tropidonote, n. sp. 
This is the first record of a spirochet from the blood of a snake. 
It is therefore much to be regretted that my observations on it are 
exceedingly scanty. 
Only a single 7’. stolatus was found harbouring the organism. In 
the fresh blood preparations the spirochets were rare, and in the 
stained smears made from the same blood they were still more 
difficult to find. Through a most unfortunate accident most of 
