1002 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



between the parasitic and the free-living Nematoids, having affinities 

 on the one hand with Dochmius, and on the other with Bliahditis. 



Gordius verrucosus.* — Prof. F. J. Bell has a short note on a 

 specimen of this species collected by Mr. H. H. Johnston on Kili- 

 mandjaro, in which he indicates its very wide distribution, and 

 compares it with the Tsenia of the rhinoceroses. 



Experimental Breeding of Taenia Echinococcus.j — Dr. J. D. 

 Thomas reports the results of several successful experiments in which 

 the Echinococcus scolices of man were bred in dogs. He discusses 

 the specific character of the difi'erent forms of Echinococcus, and 

 recapitulates the history of experimental researches on the subject, 

 pointing out their relative indecisiveness. The careful experiments 

 of the author on four dogs yielded successful results with three. 

 The dogs were examined at intervals of 20, 32, and 42 days after 

 feeding, and the Teenise found corresponded in development to the time 

 elapsed. 



Frequent occurrence of Taenia Echinococcus in Domestic Dogs 

 (Australia).^ — Dr. J. D. Thomas reports the results of examinations 

 of dogs at four places in South Australia, three of which were in the 

 district most highly infected with hydatid disease. Out of 30 vagrant 

 dogs 40 per cent, were infested with Tcenia Echinococcus. Out of 

 another series of nine which had been better cared for, only one case 

 was found, while five out of ten stray dogs in Melbourne were infested. 

 This great prevalence fully explains the frequency of the cystic form 

 in man and the domestic Herbivora in these localities. 



Trematoda.§ — M. J. Poirier finds, from a study of the muscular 

 system of Distomum clavatum, that the dorso- ventral muscles are 

 broken up at their ends, and are fixed to internal projections of tha 

 cuticle, which serve as fulcra ; these muscles contract in such a way 

 as to produce a series of nodes along the muscular fibre. The suckers 

 have a muscular system which is much better developed than has 

 been hitherto supposed ; they are always, or nearly always, completely 

 enveloped by one or two elastic membranes, to which are attached 

 the various muscular bundles of the organ. He describes in detail 

 the extrusive muscles vp^hich act on the suckers, and which have 

 hitherto been almost entirely neglected by zoologists. 



The glandular cells which are found in the external layer of the 

 parenchyma are not to be confounded with those which sometimes 

 (as in the fluke) form a continuous layer beneath the muscular coat. 

 The digestive apparatus is always lined by long cells which are 

 united only at their base, and which have excessively delicate walls 

 which allow of the easy absorption of nutrient fluids. The oesophagus, 

 which is constantly found behind the pharynx, has very muscular 

 walls which are lined internally by a cuticle. An exaggerated value 

 has been ascribed to the so-called cirrus-pouch, which is often 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1885, p. 236. 



t Proc. Boy. Soc, xxxviii. (1885) pp. 449-57. J Ibid., pp. 457-8. 



§ Arch. ZooL.Exper. et Gc'n., iii. (lS85) pp. 465-G24 (.12 pis.). 



