TRYPANOSOMA IN BIRDS IN INDTxV. 433 



Trypanosoma in Birds in India. 



By 



W. Ifniinn, M.B., D.P.H., 



Liverpool. 



With Plate 32. 



The comparatively recent discovery of tlae presence of trj- 

 panosoma in man as a cause of disease by Button, Castellani, 

 and others has opened up a field of interesting research. In 

 view of the help which has been afforded in the investigation 

 of the malaria parasite in man by the study of similar proto- 

 zoan infections in animals, chiefly birds, it might be of service 

 to record the presence of trypanosoma parasites in the blood 

 of birds in India. The life history of these Protozoa will 

 very probably be first elucidated and worked out in the lower 

 animals. From the cases recorded by Dutton and Manson, 

 and the possible relationship of these parasites to sleeping 

 sickness, they have now become more than pathological 

 curiosities. 



In India, in 1900, whilst examining the blood of the 

 domestic pigeon affected with Halteridium Danilewskyi, 

 I came across a species of trypanosoma in these birds which 

 I now describe. The parasites were comparatively few in 

 number in the blood, and the percentage of birds affected was 

 not a large one. Their presence in the blood did not appear 

 to affect the health of the birds in any way. 



From the accompanying illustration of the pigeon parasite 



VOL. 47, PART 3. — NEW SERIES. EE 



