if'lS] Su-ezrj: Kindonudeus of Flagellates 221 



constriction (Martin, 1913; Neresheimer, 1912; Gelei, 1913). It is 

 to be particularly emphasized that it does not divide by a mitosis of its 

 own. 



Polijmastix bufonis (Dobell) is a common flagellate of several 

 species of Amphibia in California including Diemi/dylus torosus, 

 Batradwseps attenuatus and Rana pipiens. The shape of the body is 

 pyriform and is fairly regular in outline, being sustained by a some- 

 what thickened cuticle, or peripla.st (fig. 44). This is marked with 

 striations extending obliquely across the body in uniform, parallel 

 lines. Four equal flagella arise from a blepharoplast at the anterior 

 end, near which the nucleus is also situated. Connected with the 

 blepharoplast by a more or less thickened fibril is a deeply staining, 

 elongated body which foi-ms an arch around the nucleus, as shown in 

 the end view in figure 43. This structure presents various degrees of 

 intensity in its staining reactions, usually appearing as dense, com- 

 pact material, but occasionally staining deeply with iron haematoxylin 

 in small areas only (fig. 44). In this peculiarity it agrees with the 

 conditions figured for the parabasal bodies of Trypanoplasma dcndro- 

 codi by Gelei (1913), and in T. congri and T. cyprini as given by 

 Martin (1913), (figs. 34-42). 



A cai-eful comparison of the figures of these three species of Try- 

 panoplasma and Trypanoplasma borrdi (Keysselitz, 1906) with 

 figures of Polymastix bufonis brings to light some interesting points of 

 resemblance. T. congri (fig. 36), with a closer approximation of the 

 nucleus and blepharoplast, and a stronger curve to the parabasal 

 body, will present the same structure shown in figure 43 of Polymastix 

 bufonis. In no esseiitial detail does the ordinary vegetative individual 

 of T. congri (fig. 35) difi'er from the same stage of P. bufonis (fig. 47). 



Tlie parabasal body of Trypanoplasma elongates and divides by a 

 simple constriction (Martin, 1913, Gelei, 1913), as does also the same 

 structure in Polymastix. The various steps in this process figured in 

 the two forms show a close resemblance in both cases. The orienta- 

 tion of the body of T. borrdi in the figures given by Keysselitz (1906) 

 is somewhat difficult to interpret, but a comparison of them with 

 Gelei 's figures seems to indicate that in the beginning of the process 

 the parabasal body elongates in a direction parallel to the long axis 

 of the body (fig. 37). In the later, more amoeboid stage of division, 

 this direction becomes transverse (figs. 38, 40), owing, probably, to the 

 tension exerted by the constantly moving flagella. In Polymastix the 

 direction of elongation is transverse or slightly oblique (figs. .50-57) 



