320 H. B. FANTHAM. 



plasma consists of vegetative cliromatiu, and is, indeed, a 

 trophic nucleus, while the blepharoplast, according to the 

 upholders of the flagellate affinities of Piroplasma, would 

 be a kinetic nucleus — that is, a specialised and separate 

 portion of vegetative chromatin. But the so-called blepharo- 

 plast, usually denser and moie deeply staining, may really 

 consist of generative chromatin (c f. the micro-nucleus of 

 Paramcccium). The loose chromatin would be a reticulum 

 of extra-nuclear chromatin or chromidia. Whether this 

 loose chromatin consists of tropho-chromidia (chromidia 

 properly so-called) related to the cell-metabolism of Piro- 

 plasma, or whether the loose chromatin consists of idio- 

 chromidia and represents a reserve of generative chromatin, 

 is difficult to say at present. The significance of the so-called 

 blepharoplast at the moment is most problematic, and pre- 

 cludes more definite statements. 



Nuttall and Graham-Smith (8, pp. 641-643) consider the 

 various hypotheses which have been advanced at different 

 times regarding the development of Piroplasma. They 

 reject them all, after careful studies on the living pai'asites. 



It would appear, then, premature and useless to discuss 

 further the possible life-cycle and affinities of Piroplasma; 

 there have been, recently, it seems to me, too many '' phylo- 

 genies " of such problematic organisms, often founded on 

 slender evidence, and the complete life-history of Piro- 

 plasma, and even Trypanosoma, has yet to be ascertained. 



Lastly, as definite and further pronouncements^ on the 

 developmental stages of Piroplasmata in ticks may be expected 

 shortly, it is better to wait for these, when we may learn 

 whether a flagellate stage really does occur in the life-cycle 

 of Piroplasma, and what is the true significance of Koch's 

 forms, so difficult to interpret alone. 



VII. Summary of Kesults. 



(1) All the specimens (stained) of Piroplasma bige- 

 minum, which were examined, showed the presence of a 



' See Addfuduin. 



