Miscellaneous. 85 



An Endoparasite of Noteua. By Saka Gwendolen Foulke. 



In classifying the Ciliata-Holotricha W. Saville Kent has created 

 a sj^ecial division for those members of the order which possess no 

 distinct oral aperture, distinguishing them as the Holotricha- 

 Astomata. This division includes but one family group — the Opa- 

 linidse — comprising four genera : — OpaJina, Anoplophnja, Hapto- 

 phrya, and HopUtophrija. The Opalinidte are, without exception, 

 endoparasitic in habit. 



Of these four genera the characteristics may be summed up as 

 follows : — OpaJina and Anoplophnja are both free swimming, 

 ■without means of attachment, and differ chiefly in the form of their 

 endoplast ; Haptophrri(t and Hoplitophrya are both furnished with 

 means of attachment, the difference in form of which furnishes the 

 generic distinction, the former possessing a sucking disk, the latter 

 a corneous keel-like band or one or more hooks. Opallna proper is 

 further separated by restricting its habitat to " the intestinal viscera 

 of various tailed or tailless Amphibia." 



A Noteus, species unknown, having been crushed in the live-box, 

 there were expelled from the animal's bod)', with its flixids, ciliated 

 bodies exhibiting decided movements. Scarcely more tangible in 

 their colourless transparency than air-bubbles, these bodies, varying 

 in shape from globose to ovate, were more or less uniformly clothed 

 with long delicate cilia, whose rhythmical undulations produced but 

 slight onward motion. No endoplasm was visible, and no oppor- 

 tunity for the use of reagents was afforded, as in about ten minutes 

 the bodies became quiescent, and then rapidly disintegrated, the 

 cilia disappearing first. Dr. Jos. Leidy recommends as a successful 

 medium of preservation for such forms a little white of egg intro- 

 duced into the water, which is not of itself sufficiently dense to 

 support such delicate cell- walls. 



One of the forms was gourd-shaped, the constriction being slightly 

 above the middle, the whole appearance strongly suggesting lateral fis- 

 sion. Another, perfectly globose individual contained a number of the 

 refractive germ-like bodies characteristic of the Protozoa, which, on 

 being liberated by the dissolution of the parent cell, dispersed 

 through the water, probably to seek a new host and complete the 

 cycle of development. On the globular form the cilia appeared to 

 be placed in bands or clusters, while those on the ovate form were 

 more evenly distributed. It is possible that one may be merely an 

 immature form of the other. 



Simultaneously with these parasites a sac of protoplasm, measur- 

 ing only xxToTr"' ^^^ containing ten minute scarlet to dark red 

 bodies, was expelled. It seemed to come from near the centre of 

 the forward part of the body, but was not connected with the "eyes," 

 as these remained intact. This sac remained motionless near the 

 Rotifer for an hour, the scarlet bodies continuing in incessant motion 

 during that time, but no change of any kind taking place. I have 

 been unable to determine the nature of this sac or of the contained 

 bodies, and should be glad of any information as to its probable 

 character. 



