286 Professor Owen on Collecting 



Entozoa [Intestinal Worms and other internal parasites). 



These are to be preserved either in solution No. 1, or in colour- 

 less proof-spirit. This class of animals has been too much neglected 

 by collectors. Every animal that is opened and dissected, especially 

 fishes, may present rare or undescribed species of Entozoa. The eyes 

 of fishes are often the seat of such ; the noses of sharks are fi'equently 

 infested by them. They may be found not only in the alimentary 

 canal, but in the tissues of most of the organs. When the parasite 

 is adherent, the part to which it adheres should be removed with it, 

 care being taken to secure the whole mouth or proboscis of the pa- 

 rasite. When it is encysted in an organ, the cyst is to be removed 

 entire with the surrounding tissue of the organ. Portions of muscle 

 or other tissue which appear speckled with minute white spots should 

 be preserved, as these may be occasioned by the cyst of Trichinre., or 

 allied microscopic Entozoa. The number attached to the specimen 

 should correspond with that in the list, having reference to the ani- 

 mal, and part or organ infested by the parasite. 



Epizoa {Lernea or Fish-lice, and other external parasites) : An- 

 nelides {Leeches, Worms, Nereids, or Sea-centipedes, Tube- 

 worms, 8(c.). 



The exterior surface, the mouth, and the gills of all fishes, should 

 be examined for parasitic animals, some of which exhibit the most 

 extraordinary forms and combinations of structure, as, e. g., the 

 Diplozoon of Nordmann, a genus of Entozoa, from the gills of the 

 bream. When the parasites adhei'e firmly to the part, they should 

 be cut out with the adhei'ing organ entire, which sometimes pene- 

 trates to a great depth in the flesh. The exterior surface of por- 

 poises, grampuses, and the larger species of the whale tribe, should 

 be scrutinised for adherent parasitic animals. Rare kinds of leeches 

 may be found on fishes, as, for example, the Bramhellion of the 

 torpedo. A species of leech, with external tufted gills, Hirudo 

 branchiata, has been detected on a marine tortoise or turtle in the 

 Pacific, the anatomical examination of which is especially recom- 

 mended by Cuvier. Leeches, and all the various kinds of sea-worms, 

 compi-ehended uiader the class-name " Annelides," and including the 

 Nereids, or Sea-centipedes, usually found amongst sea-weed or under 

 stones, sometimes attaining the length of twelve feet ;* and the tube- 

 worms usually crowned with brilliant coloured tentacles, may be pre- 

 served in the solution No. I., or in colourless spirit. Those, how- 

 ever, as the Serpulidee, that form calcareous tubes, should be pre- 



* See the specimen, from Bermuda, of Leodicc Gigantea, No. 253, A. Mu- 

 seum, Oollegft of Surgeons, Ijondon. 



