352 Miscellaneous. 



In all, we have met with this worm six times ; and five of the 

 patients who presented it are dead. It would perhaps be prema- 

 ture to deduce grave consequences from this ; and the species is 

 infinitely less abundant than Anguilhila stereo raJis. — Comptes Mendus, 

 Feb. 5, 1877, p. 266. 



On Filaria haematica. By MM. 0. Galeb and P. Poukquiek. 



The authors have dissected more than two hundred dogs in search 

 of this parasite. They cite one of their observations in disproof of 

 the verminous diathesis assumed by some writers. In a pregnant 

 bitch the heart was stuffed with adult Filarice ; and its blood showed 

 thousands of embryos, which also occurred in the blood of the foetus. 

 The mother, therefore, furnishes the starting point for the migra- 

 tions of the parasites, the embryos which float in the blood of the 

 mother terminating in a slender point which enables these micro- 

 scopic worms to pierce the tissues and penetrate into the placenta, 

 from which they pass into the circulation of the foetus. 



The identity of the embryos swimming in the blood with F'daria 

 hoematica is proved by the dissection and microscopic examination 

 of the adult female Filaria, which shows in the oviduct free embryos 

 exactly like those of the blood. Hence the authors conclude that 

 Filaria Juematica is viviparous. 



The adult parasites always reside in the right cavities of the 

 heart or in the pulmonary artery ; but their presence in this situa- 

 tion may always be ascertained by the examination of a small 

 portion of the blood of the dog. 



The female parasite attains a length of 30-32 centimetres (12 to 

 12|- inches) ; the male is smaller and more slender, about half the 

 length of the female. More than a hundred of these parasites may 

 exist in the same animal. Sometimes they produce no symptoms, 

 but in other eases cause serious disorders, such as dropsies, which 

 kill the animals. The authors promise a detailed memoir upon this 

 parasite. — Comptes llendus, Feb. 5, 1877, p. 271. 



On the Intimate Phenomena of Fecundation. 

 By M. H. FoL. 



The radiate structure of the vitellus has been long since described 

 by various authors. I may cite in chronological order Derbes, who 

 observed it very well in Echinus, Gegenbaur in Sagitta, Krohn, 

 Leuckart, Kowalewsky, Kupffer in the Ascidia, and, finally. Balbiani 

 in the Araneida. The relations of this structure with cell-division, 

 however, remained unknown, as the authors last cited continued to 

 accept the division pure and simple of the cytoblast. M. Hubert 

 Ludwig has just shown that in this respect the Araneida behave like 

 the Geryonida?. 



A second step of the greatest importance has just been made iu 



