, 
926 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Further, Mégnin’s figures would not by themselves induce me to fuse 
the two forms. 
Besides, after considerable study of Ludwig's description, I am unable 
to decide how much of it represents his own observations and how much 
is copy of Biitschli’s description of M. miillert. It seems to be part original 
and part copy, but how much of each it is impossible to determine. 
It would seem as though Ludwig first determined in his own mind the 
specific identity of the present form (J. sp. 51) with M. miillert and then 
applied to the former (M. sp.51) Biit8chli’s description of M. miilleri, at 
the same time incorporating therewith certain observations, e. g., the 
dimensions of the spore which must be his own (made upon A. sp. 51) 
inasmuch as they are not, tomy knowledge, to be found in any previous 
description of M. miilleri. My reason for this view of the subject is 
Ludwig’s statement that— 
I ean only confirm Biitschli’s results upon the finer structure of M/yxobelus. 
Further, his figures bear some indication of being semidiagrammatic 
generalized composites of several of Biitschii’s figures of M. miilleri. 
And still further his description (except the few additions) is Biitschli’s. 
This course has rendered it impossible for me to distinguish how much 
of the composite description represents Ludwig’s actual observations 
on M.sp.51 and how much of it merely pertains to M. miilleri generally, 
and is regarded as applying to M. sp. 51, by virtue of its supposed 
identity with M. miilleri. Under these circumstances I have credited 
to M. sp. 51 only the minimum (viz, the residual after subtracting from 
the composite, Biitschli’s description of M. miillert); as, though this 
residual may be incomplete for WM. sp. 51, it is all that can be positively 
asserted to belong to that species. 
Pfeiffer’s figures (pl. 25, figs. 5,6) approximate the present form much 
more closely to M. ellipsoides than to M. miilleri. 
Finally, Thélohan says that the present species— 
Presents a great resemblance to M. miilleri; perhaps it should, however, be con- 
sidered as specifically distinct. 
Cyst.—Membrane thin, probably formed by host. Contents clear 
living protoplasm, in which are imbedded very fine dark granules, very 
small nuclei corresponding to those of true cells, and spores (Ludwig), 
Composed of an irregularly concentric-fibered layer inclosing a second 
double-contoured layer, which latter surrounds the cyst cavity filled 
with spores. The large white, stout-walled, walnut-sized, or smaller 
muscle cysts are situated near the skin or pleura; 30, 40, or more 
myxosporidia occur near together, surrounded by a loose web 
formed by the host. Each myxosporidium is to be regarded as an 
individual, and the multicamerate tubes result from the common encap- 
suling by the host of many such individuals of nearly equal age, which 
individuals subsequently, he thinks (from sarcosporidian analogy, etc.) 
fuse, the process recalling the so-called conjugation of the large free- 
living intestinal Gregarines (Pfeiffer). 
