1873.] DR. T. S. COBBOLD ON NEW OR RARE ENTOZOA. 737 



character ; but I have felt that it were better they should be pre- 

 sented in this form rather than remain altogether unemployed. The 

 Society is aware that I am indebted to several of its Fellows, as well 

 as to many other persons, for contributions of Entozoa ; and I there- 

 fore embrace this opportunity of explaining that it has hitherto been 

 quite impossible for me to do justice to these various gifts. In 

 individual instances, as, for example, in the case of the Nematodes 

 obtained by Frof. Flower from the Aard Wolf, I have made a single 

 species of parasite the subject of lengthened comment (Zool. Soc. 

 Proc. 1870) ; but to do so in all future and similar cases would 

 require more undivided time and attention than is again likely to be 

 at my disposal ; moreover, in the majority of single and separate 

 contributions the parasite rarely demands more than a passing re- 

 mark serving to confirm, to verify, or it may be to refute state- 

 ments made in some previous record. 



The classification of the Entozoa is confessedly in a very unsatis- 

 factory state ; and I regret to observe that the more extended one's 

 examinations become, the greater are the difficulties which one has 

 to encounter in this respect. The geographical distribution of the 

 Entozoa is a subject of increasing importance ; and it is one towards 

 the elucidation of which I conceive that such notes as these may 

 eventually help to contribute their quota. It would be a work of 

 supererogation to express the sum of my indebtedness by mentioning 

 seriatim the names of all my friendly contributors, most of whom 

 have transmitted solitary specimens. However, in the case of sets 

 of specimens or collections, small and great, my acknowledgments 

 are especially due to Mr. Charles Darwin, F.R.S., to Mr. Charles 

 W. Devis, to Mr. Robert Swinhoe, H.M.B. Consul at Chefoo, to 

 the late Dr. William C. Pechey, who brought me an interesting 

 series of Helminths from India," and to Prof. Murie, M.D., formerly 

 Prosector to this Society. Lastly, in these prefatory remarks, it is 

 only necessary to add further that in this serial record no particular 

 order of description will be observed beyond that which a mere 

 general group-affinity may occasionally suggest as natural, convenient, 

 or suitable. 



1. Filaria horrida (Diesing). 



The first number and private reference on the list of a series of 

 parasites which I received from Mr. Darwin in August 1869 refers 

 to a set of worms obtained by him " from the stomach of an American 

 Ostrich at Bahia Blanca, North Patagonia, in 1832." Having 

 already identified a similar series of Nematodes that had long lain 

 concealed in the Museum stores of the Hunterian Collection, I had 

 no difficulty in recognizing the species. There were, in all, ten 

 specimens — seven females and three males. The latter were in good 

 condition, and varied in length from 5 to 5| inches. Five of the 

 seven females were perfect, the shortest measuring 20 inches, and 

 the longest 29 inches, this latter worm having a breadth of exactly 

 5 inch. I may mention that one of the Hunterian specimens mea- 

 sured 35 inches ; but examples have been referred to as extending 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1873, No. XLVII. 47 



