BY T. HARVEY JOHNSTON, M.A., D.SC. 79 



alimentar}^ canal is of the usual filarial type, the oeso- 

 phagus measuring -64 mm. in length. The anus lies very 

 close to the posterior end, being only -130 mm. distant. 

 The nerve ring is situated at -16 mm, from the anterior 

 extremity. 



The two uteri which contain eggs with vermiform 

 embryos within them, join to form a very short vagina 

 near whose external opening are gland cells. The egg» 

 in utero measure -050 by -028 mm. 



Filaria physignathi, n. sp. 

 (PI. Ill ; Figs. 18, 22). 



The presence of filarial embryos in the blood of 

 Physignathus lesueurii, Gray, has already been made known 

 (Johnston and Cleland, 1911, p. 489), while mention has- 

 been made (Johnston, 19116, p. 241) of the fact that the 

 adults were found in the mesenteric veins by Dr. Bancroft. 

 These adult worms, mainly females, were forwarded to me 

 and are now dealt with under the name of Filaria physignathi. 

 Filarial embryos have been recently recorded as occurring 

 in another Australian lizard, belonging to the same family, 

 Amphibolurus barbatus, by Plimmer (1912, p. 139), whose 

 specimens came from the London Zoological Gardens. 



The dimensions of the new parasite are as follows : — 

 Male 12 mm. long, and -20 mm. broad ; female, about 

 36 mm. long, and -33 mm. broad. 



The following account is taken from a female. The 

 diameter of the body is uniform, each end being bluntly 

 rounded. Three small papillae appear to be present at the 

 anterior end. Lips are absent. The anus is terminal. 

 The vulva is situated at about 1-40 mm. from the head 

 end, and lies on the summit of a small elevation surrounded 

 by a definite depression. The excretory pore lies in front 

 of the nerve ring, at about -130 mm. from the anterior 

 extremity. The cuticle is not transversely striated, but 

 is smooth and thin. 



There is no mouth cavity or pharynx. The oesophagus 

 is -82 mm. in length, being surrounded at '180 mm. from 

 the mouth by the nerve ring. Its front portion is rather 

 wider than the remainder. Succeeding the oesophagus 

 is the widened thin-waUed intestine, which terminates at 

 the anus at the end of the worm- 



