PART III.] Measurements of Parts of Mature Filaria Sanguinis- Hominis. 625 



movements, notwithstanding their mangled condition. They were of a white colour, the 

 cuticle was smooth and devoid of tranverse markings except such as were due to the 

 contraction of the subjacent muscular walls. 



The fragment of the male specimen which was found measured half an inch in 

 length, and -^\-q of an inch ('14 mm.) transversely ; it was thinner than the female, but 

 of considerably firmer texture, — so firm, indeed, that whilst endeavouring to make out 

 its anatomy a considerable portion of it was lost by one of the needles used for dis- 

 secting, snapping and carrying a portion of worm along with it. On tearing the hel- 

 minth across, the severed surface does not present a ragged edge, but an even outline 

 (Fig. 4, Plate XLII). The male manifested also great tendency to coil, and it was 

 only with difficulty that it could be separated from the specimen of the female parasite, 

 around a portion of which it had twisted itself. It is unfortunate that its caudal end 

 especially could not be found, as the definite decision of the genus to which it should 

 be referred depends in a great measure on the characters which the posterior end of 

 the male worm presents. The intestinal canal measured ^^^3" ('OSQ mm.) across, and 

 the sperm tube ^->^' ('016 mm.). 



The caudal end of the female worm also had been severed and could not be found ; 

 this, however, is of less moment. The length of the portion of the helminth secured 

 was 1^ inches, and its greatest width about -^-^ inch. It was packed with ova and 

 embryos in various stages of development ; the latter, especially those of them which 

 were mature, manifested active movements. The head is slightly club-shaped ; the 

 mouth does not manifest any very distinctly marked labial subdivisions, nor are there 

 any chitinous processes evident either before or after death. The oesophagus is faintly 

 striated and shades off imperceptibly into the intestinal tube, the latter being filled 

 with moleculo-granular matter.* 



The following measurements may be useful to future observers: — 



Oral aperture to end of oesophagus A o 



Diameter of oral aperture uthstt 



Width of extreme end (anterior) tttt 



Ditto anterior end at " neck " tjt 



Ditto opposite junction of intestine with oesophagus .... ,^Tf 



Ditto about \ inch from anterior end xir 



Width where packed with ova and embryos t^tf 



Width of uterine tube filled with ova ui^ 



Ditto alimentary tube iri^ 



The ova do not possess any distinctly marked " shell ; " from the smallest to the 

 largest nothing but a delicate pellicle can be distinguished as enveloping the embryo 

 in all its stages; consequently the form assumed by the ovum depends to a great 

 extent on the degree of the surrounding pressure. In Fig. 3 (Plate XLII) ova of various 

 shapes are depicted (spherical, triangular, oval), and with a considerable latitude as to 

 size. The average of six measurements of the less advanced kinds of ova, -i.e., those in 

 which the outline of the embyro was not distinctly evident — i^Vt" ('018 mm.) by 



* A micro-photograph of this specimen is reproduced at Fig. 5, Plate XLIII. 



42 



