NOTES ON A GREGARINE OF THE EARTHWORM. 421 
Notes on a Gregarine of the Earthworm 
(Lumbricus herculeus). 
By 
Wm. Cecil Bosanquet, M.A., 
Fellow of New College, Oxford. 
With Plate 31. 
Wuite looking through some worms which had been obtained 
for dissection in Professor Ray Lankester’s laboratory at 
Oxford, Dr. Benham, Senior Assistant to Professor Lankester, 
noticed one specimen the hinder end of which appeared to be 
filled with small white bodies easily visible through the body- 
wall of the worm. These were preserved by Mr. E. A. Minchin, 
who identified them as a species of Gregarina, and by whose 
kindness I was allowed to examine them. As they presented 
some points of interest, perhaps these few notes may not be 
out of place. 
Previous Observations.—On referring to the literature 
of the subject, I found that this species of Gregarine had been 
before observed and described, as a very careful account of it 
appears in the well-known paper of Lieberkiihn (1), who men- 
tions Meckel as a still earlier observer of these creatures. 
Lieberkiihn describes this Gregarine as occurring in great 
numbers in the body-cavity of the worm, especially towards 
the tail; as being round in shape and white in colour; and he 
gives some account of its conjugation, spores, &c., but does 
not name the species. Around Gregarine is also described by 
Schmidt (2) as occurring in Lumbricus olidus, but this is 
figured as possessing a shaggy cuticle, and therefore appears to 
