294 PARASITES OF ANIMALS 



the hosts. However, whilst Dr Dobson has recently been 

 extending the subject of Cheiropterology, Prof, van Beneden 

 has added largely to our knowledge of the parasites of bats. 

 Tji his beautiful memoir, the Belgian helminthologist asks 

 whether the parasites quit their hosts during the period of 

 hybernation, and then proceeds to answer that question in the 

 negative. Should the bats die, the parasites of necessity share 

 the same fate. It would appear, however, that the spermatozoa 

 of the worms are capable of surviving their parents for a 

 fortnight or even longer. Flukes abound ; the most common 

 species (Distoma lima) infesting the pipistrelle, noctule, mouse- 

 colored bat, Natterer's bat, parti-colored bat, Daubenton's bat, 

 whiskered bat, and the greater and lesser horseshoe bats. 

 Almost as abundant is the Distoma chilostomum found in most 

 of these bats, and also in Leisler's or the hairy- armed bat. 

 Dujardin's D. heteroporum is a synonym of the species. Schre- 

 ber's Monostomum is probably identical with Yan Beneden's 

 Distoma ascidia. This fluke he found in Vespertilio marinus, 

 V. dasycnemus, V. Daubentonii, V. emarginatus, V. serotinus, 

 V. mysfacinus, V. pipistrellus, V. aurttus, and in Ehinolophus 

 hippocrepis. Another species, distinguished from D. ascidia by 

 its large ventral sucker, has been found in great numbers in 

 the noctule (D. ascidioides, Van Beneden). The cestodes of 

 bats are not numerous. The best known species (Tcsnia obtu- 

 sata) has been found in the serotine, in the mouse-colored bat, 

 and in Vespertilio lasiurus. Another species (T. decipiens) occurs 

 in Molossus perotis, and Chylonycteris rubiginosus, and a scolex, 

 forming the type of a new genus and species (Milina grisea, 

 Van Ben.) has been obtained by hundreds in the intestines of 

 Vesp. murinus and V. serotinus. Of nematodes we have Ophio- 

 stomum mucronatum, Rud., and Oph. spinosum, W.-Suhm (from 

 Vespertilio mystacinus), Trichosomum speciosum, Van Ben., Stron- 

 gylus tipula, Van Ben., Strongylacantha glycyrrhiza, Van Ben., 

 lAtosoma filaria, Van Ben., Ascarops minuta, Van Ben., and 

 one or two sexually-immature forms, either found loose in the 

 tissues or occupying cysts. The Acanthocephala are not known 

 to infest bats. Respecting insects, one family (Nycteribiidae) 

 is exclusively parasitic upon bats. They resemble the forest- 

 flies in their habits. The best known species is Nycteribia 

 Latreillei, but several others (N. biarticulata and N. 8yJeesii t 

 Westw.) have been described. One or more of the Brazilian 

 bats are infested by Lipoptena phyUostomatix, Nitsch, and 



