132 



REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. — 1915. 



(c) Acanthocephali. — Mem'bers of this group were found parasitic in 

 the intestines of all three species. 



The following species have been identified : 



B. physalus 

 B. muscidus 

 B. horealis 



Echiiwrliynclius hrevicollis. 

 E. porrigens. 

 E. turbinella. 



None of these are new records.* 



(d) Nematodes.— In the Eeport for 1913 " an account was given of an 

 apparently pathological structure found in the upper part of the renal 

 circulation, and containing nematode ova. During the 1914 season 

 further observations wexe made on this region, and on the kidney 

 itself. A few specimens of the digitate structure were found; but, in 

 addition, in the urinary vessels of twenty-one of the Finners, as well 

 as in one Blue Whale and the Sejhval, nematode worms of some size 

 were observed. 



The followin,g statements are the result of examination of specimens 

 from B. physalus : 



They have a very small diameter relative to their length, being 

 perhaps tV in. thick, while the length of one incomplete specimen was 

 2 ft. 9 in. In the fresh state they are sometimes tinged with a reddish 

 colour owing to the hue of the fluid with which the body cavity is filled. 



The main ureter traverses the kidney for a great part of its length 

 and is entered by numerous branches, which ramify in the mass of 

 the kidney, where they terminate at the calyces of the lobules. 



The worms are found partly in the urinary tube system, partly in 

 the interlobular tissue. One extremity lies in the main vessels, while 

 the other is to be found in the interlobular tissue. The point at which 

 the worm passes into the urinary system is usually, if not always, 

 situated in the wall of a calyx. The extralobular part of the parasite 

 is embedded in a mass of connective tissue, in which it has a very 

 tortuous course. It is probable that the presence of the nematode is 

 responsible for the growth of the tissue in the regions where it occurs, 

 since the connective tissue masses may be taken as indicative of the 

 presence of the parasites which they invariably contain. 



In one of these parasites ova were found which in appearance exactly 

 resemble the free ova described last year. Those contained in the parent 

 were, however, slightly larger than the ova in the digitate growth. 

 The measurements are as follow : 



Average length 

 Maximum „ 

 Minimum „ 

 Average width 

 Maximum „ 

 Minimum „ 



Ova in nematode section (6) 

 •0595 mm. 

 •0613 mm. 

 •0590 mm. 

 •0413 mm. 

 •0432 mm. 

 •0400 mm. 



In digit section (9) 

 •0505 mm. 

 •0527 mm. 

 •0463 mm. 

 •0362 mm. 

 •0400 mm. 

 •0336 mm. 



• Vide A. E. Shipley, Archives de Parasitologie, ii. No. 2, p. 

 British Association Report 1912, p. 180; Ibid. 1914, p. 141. 



• British Association Eeport 1914, p. 141. 



262, 1899; 



