Dr. O'Bryen Bellingbam on Irish Entuzoa. 475 



The Filaria have been arranged by Rndolphi in two sudivi- 

 sions, according as the mouth is simple or papillary and labiate. 

 Ore simpUci. 



- „., . ^^ ^ f Cellular membrane in abdomen of peregrine 



1. r liana attenuata. < r i n? i •„ ,„\ 



[ falcon (I'ttico peregrinus). 



Species dubicc. 



2. Filaria *. Peritoneum of red gurnard {Triyla Pini). 



3. f. Peritoneum of mullet (Miigil Capito). 



4. ? X Abdominal cavity of bee (Bombits terrestris). 



Genns2. Trichosoma. 

 (Derived from Qp\t,, capillus.) 

 Body cylindrical and elastic, of moderate length, very slender to- 

 wards the anterior extremity, and insensibly enlarging posteriorl}\ 

 Mouth terminal, punctiform. Male organ a simple filament con- 

 tained in a sheath. 



This genus was established by Zeder^ under the name of Ca- 

 pillaria. The species are most common in birds, next in the mam- 

 malia • they are very rare in reptiles and fish ; they inhabit the 

 stomach, the small and large intestines, sometimes the urinary 



* This species of Filaria (which does not appear to have been de- 

 scribed) occurred under the peritoneum of the common red gurnard 

 (Trigla Pini). The specimens which I possess are from three to four 

 inches in length, and about the thickness of strong thread ; the colour 

 white, body cylindrical, and of the same diameter throughout. An- 

 terior extremity obtuse and rounded, posterior acute. Mouth orbi- 

 cular and very small. In removing them, some ruptured, and allowed 

 the ovaries and intestinal canal to j)rotrude. 



t This species (which also appears not to have been described) 

 occurred in the peritoneum of the common gray mullet (Mugil Ca- 

 pito) ; they were so imbedded in this membrane that it required con- 

 siderable trouble to remove them, and some portion of the membrane 

 continued to adhere to them, which rendered their examination dif- 

 ficult ; they are about 4^ lines in length, colour white, body slender, 

 and of the same diameter throughout. Anterior and posterior extre- 

 mity rounded, mouth obscurely orbicular ; a slight prominence near 

 the posterior extremity, at which the anus appeared to open. 



X This species I have met with upon several occasions in the ca- 

 vity of the abdomen of the common humble bee (Botnbus terrestris), 

 and sometimes in very large numbers ; they lived and moved about 

 in a watch-glass containing water for a considerable time ; they are 

 cylindrical, some are smaller than others, and in these the })osterior 

 extremity is very slightly curved, in the larger (which probably are 

 females) this part is straight. They are so small as to be hardly vi - 

 sible without a lens, and in consequence of this I have not been able 

 to succeed in seeing the shape of the mouth ; hence they may pro- 

 bably eventually turn out to belong to some other genus. 



