236 Miscellaneous, 



on the flourishing condition of its Herbarium ; and also to request 

 that the younger members will come forward and assist in completing 

 its arrangement. There is still much to do, and we only require 

 workers ; and lastly, I would remind any of our members that may 

 go abroad, that though far removed from us and our meetings, they 

 are still members, and as such they should remember the interests of 

 the Society and its Herbarium ; and as a proof I would, as Curator of 

 the Museum, request them to send home specimens of the plants oc- 

 curring in their respective localities." 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On Sciurus glacialis (Lsemargus borealis. Mull. ^ Henle) and its 

 Parasites. By P. J. Van Beneden. 



This fish inhabits the northern seas ; it is very common on the 

 coasts of Iceland and Greenland, but exceedingly rare on the Eu- 

 ropean coasts. It is called Haakal by the Icelanders ; Aepekalle by 

 the Belgian fishermen. A specimen was taken in May last by the 

 Ostend fishermen, and came into Prof. Van Beneden's hands quite 

 fresh ; its parasites in fact were still living. 



The stomach contained at least twenty carapaces oiJEga marginata, 

 with some debris of a Loligo and Echiurus, and some other matters 

 which could not be distinguished. 



The right eye was covered by an enormous specimen of the 

 Lerneopoda elongata, Kroyer, firmly attached to the sclerotic coat. 



The abdominal cavity contained three large Tetrarhynchi in the 

 Scolex state ; they were attached by their trunks to the peritoneum. 

 This Tetrarhynchus is new ; Prof. Van Beneden describes it under 

 the name of 



T. linguatula, V. B. 



In form this worm differs so much from all other species of Tetra- 

 rhyncus, that, at first sight, it would not be supposed to belong to 

 that genus ; it resembles neither a Tsenioid nor a vesicular worm. 

 It is entirely white. In the state of Scolex the worm consists of two 

 distinct parts ; a rather broad anterior portion of a firm consistence, 

 (the head), and a very delicate ribbon-like posterior portion. 



The anterior part, or head, is furnished with four very short 

 trunks, resembling a wine-glass in form when torn out, and covered 

 with strong hooks arranged in a quincuncial order. Of these there 

 arc about twenty in each circle. Each hook consists of a recurved 

 spine which is directed forwards when the trunk is not exserted, and 

 of a rather large base inserted into the skin, rounded at one end and 

 pointed at the other. The head is flattened like the body of the 

 Linguatula of the dog ; it has on each side a furrow indicating the 

 point of union of the bothridia, of which there are but two ; the fur- 

 rows only reach half the length of the head. Total length 50 millim. 



In the stomach there were several hundred Nematoid worms, which 

 the author has not yet detennined ; one extremity of their bodies 

 •was always roUed spirally. 



