THE MYXOSPORIDIA, OR PSOROSPHRMS OF FISHES. 201 
From Dr. Whinery’s paper the following data are condensed: 
[Page 660] Allthe toads examined (about a dozen in all) were from Sycamore, De Kalb 
County, 60 miles west of Chicago. The toads were kept in the laboratory 
sink, and taken from this, from time to time, for examination. 
The extent of the infection must vary with the surroundings and environment of 
the animals. Seven toads examined—2 males and 5 females—showed 1 male and 4 
females infected. It is quite probable that the mortality was increased by the con- 
finement in a comparatively small space. During the confinement the toads became 
stupid, moved about but little, and in 2 or 3 days began to die, 1 dying every day 
or two. Some of them lived about 3 weeks. Before death no change in external 
appearance was noticed, except in some cases a distension of the abdomen. Post 
mortem some increase in amount of peritoneal fluid was usually noticed, but in the 
toads examined by Whinery this was never so large in amount as in the toad examined 
by OhImacher. The abdominal viscera showed signs of congestion; the intestines 
being usually distended with gas and the kidneys enlarged and in a congested state. 
The parasites were found only in the tubules and in the urinary bladder, and in the 
spore stage. Ohlmacher’s view that they probably kill by mechanical pressure seems 
very plausible onaccount of the large number of parasites in the tubules. 
[Page 661] This number varies in different specimens; sometimes only scattering 
tubules, in other cases large areas of tubules being filled with parasites. 
They were never found in the glomeruli or epithelial cells. In the bladder they were 
found in the folds of the mucous membrane. Ohlmacher has found them in urine 
collected during chloroform narcosis, in a clean basin. 
Detailed Morphology of Spore.—Length about 6 4; breadth about 8 jz; size slightly 
varying in the same preparation. Shape, slightly oval. Shell, showing a distinct 
striation, the strive appearing to proceed from the shell of each lateral half and to 
center at the valve-junction, midway between the anterior and posterior ends. 
Spore showing ut each end a slight projection,! running between which 2 points is 
the faint transparent ridge, marking the valve-junction. The projections represent 
the vertical optical section of the ridge. The spore is thus composed of 2 valves, 
their junction plane dividing the spore into 2 symmetrical halves. Twosmall knob- 
like thickenings (which show well in the fresh, unstained spore) can be seen at the 
anterior projection, 1 belonging to each valve. The spores often show cleavage at 
the anterior end along the line of the valve-junction. Capsules 2, round, 3 / to 3°5 
je on an average, situate at the anterior end, 1 in each valve. A filament arises from 
each capsule, and, penetrating the shell, leaves the spore at the anterior end. The 
eapsules seem to have the power of projecting and drawing in these filaments. 
Length of filaments often more than 4 to 8 times the diameter of the spore. Just 
after entering the spore, before reaching the capsule, they often appear in a spiral 
roll preparatory to being coiled in the capsule. Sporoplasm situated in the poste- 
rior end, extending to the sides, in form approaching a crescent; not completely 
filling the space posterior to the capsules; under high powers (4, Leitz) appearing 
homogeneous and finely granular; showing in fresh preparations the more highly 
refractive granules designated nuclei by Thélohan; these apparently vary in number 
and position in fresh spores, and never appear in hardened and stained preparations.? 
A vacuole could not be discovered in this species. 
1“Termed by Gurley the ‘micronate [mucronate] projection.’” This name was 
employed by me in a letter in a general sense only (a mucronate projection) and was 
not intended as an additional special term. 
?Ohlmacher had only hardened material, a fact which, Whinery thinks, explains 
his failure to find nuclei. Ican not believe, from Dr. Whinery’s description, that the 
bodies he calls ‘‘nuclei” are really such, since they disappear entirely in hardened and 
stained specimens. AlthoughI have not seen Dr. Whinery’s material, I venture to 
suggest the possibility of their being fat globules. 
