248 ILLINOIS BIOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS [248 



Eunectes murinus (scytale), from which this species has been reported 

 several times. His description and habitat data are quoted in full: 



"Taenia raccmosa RUDOLPHI. Caput magnum tetragonum, acetabulis an- 

 gularibus subterminalibus v. terminalibus, subovatis v. cordatis. Colluni nullum. 

 Articuli supremi brevissimi, subsequentes longiores et latiores, angulis rotundatis, 

 ultimi longi parallelopipedi angustiores. Penes fili formes basi incrassati, margi- 

 nales vage alterni. Longit. 2" il4' ; latit. med. 1-3"'; ultim. i"'. 



"Taenia racemosa Rudolphi: Synops. App. 692. — Dujardin: Hist. nat. des 

 Helminth. 610. 



"Habitaculum. Ophiomorphus miliaris, Martio. — Eunectes Scytale, Octobri, 

 Februario et Junio. — Bothrops Mararacca (misspelling for jararacca), Martio et 

 Aprili. — Ophis Merremii, Januario, in Brasilia (Naiterer) : in intestinis. M. C. V." 



Baird (1860:446-448) described this species which was found by 

 Mr. Edward Grerrard in the intestine of a Boa constrictor from South 

 America. Since the name Taenia racemosa Rud. had already been ap- 

 plied to a different species of cestode the name suggested by Baird 

 stands by reason of its priority. Baird 's second description (1861:228- 

 230) is a copy of the earlier description (1860:446-448). Because of 

 the inaccessibility of either of these descriptions for many investigators 

 the later diagnosis which alone was accessible is quoted : 



" The species now to be described, however, was found by Mr. 



Edward Gerrard of the British Museum ... in the intestine of a Boa constrictor 

 from South America. 



"The head is large, tetragonal; the four bothria disposed crosswise, joined 

 by the margins ; each of them large, round, and having on one side a strong ridge. 

 Body depressed, narrow, articulated. No distinct neck. Anterior extremity of 

 body very narrow, and the articulations there are extremely small, becoming 

 larger as they descend, the inferior being quadrangular and rather large. The 

 margins of the articulations somewhat annulated, but having no appearance of 

 genital apertures. The head is about three-fourths of a line broad ; but I could 

 not discover any mouth. Apparently only fragments of these worms were ob- 

 tained; but some of these detached pieces were about 18 inches in length. 



"Hab. Intestines of Boa constrictor." 



Diesing (1864:82) placed this species in the genus Tetrahothrium 

 but with some reservation. His diagnosis is quoted in full in order that 

 a comparison of it can be made with his diagnosis of Taenia racemosa, 

 Diesing (1850:511) : 



"Tetrahothrium Gerrardii Baird. Caput magnum tetragonum, bothriis quatuor 

 cruciatim oppositis subcircularibus magnis, marginalibus contiguis, singulo costa 



