STUDIES ON AVIAN H^MOPROTOZOA. 695 



but without a kinetonucleus. In some of the large massive 

 parasites numerous nuclei and flagella are present (figs. 162 

 and 163), tlie number of the different organellge not by any 

 means corresponding. Successive multiplication of the latter 

 has taken place without concurrent division of the cytoplasm; 

 later, the cytoplasm would probably split into three or four 

 portions, and it might very well happen as a result that 

 one of the individuals thus formed would be happy in the 

 possession of three trophonuclei (fig. 158). 



Another interesting irregularity in division is met with 

 rarely. This consists in the unequal splitting, longitudinally, 

 of the cytoplasm of certain large individuals, a thin form, 

 with (fig. 159), or possibly withovit (fig. 161), a flagellum 

 being cut off from the side of the parent. An important 

 point is that these forms have no definite nucleus of either 

 kind — i.e. they are apparently without both tropho- and 

 kinetonucleus. In fig. 161 the individual — if such that 

 portion of the cytoplasm can be termed — about to be cut off 

 has a clump of granules, but that in fig. 159 has nothing at 

 all. I have not observed a narrow form of this kind actually 

 free ; in fig. 160, however, an active pear-shaped individual 

 is drawn which also has no definite nucleus, but which possesses 

 many red-staining granules. I have no doubt whatever that 

 these forms are purely " freaks," the result of a degenerative 

 mode of division, and die off quickly after being set free. 

 There is a general resemblance, it will be noted, between 

 this production of enucleate forms, in my cultures, and the 

 formation of sickle-like (so-called "spirillar") forms in 

 cultures of Leishmania donovani, described by Leishman 

 and Statham (8). It is highly pi-obable that, in that case, 

 too, the process is due to an abnormal condition of the 

 Leishmania parasites (which, of course, ultimately degene- 

 I'ate and die off in cultures), and that such forms have nothing 

 to do with any natural developmental phase in the insectan host. 



Reference has been made already to the occurrence of 

 rounded forms lacking a flagellum. These have been seen 

 only in an old culture of nineteen days, in which they are not 



