740 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



account of its general occurrenco, tlio author notes its special prevalence 

 in tlie tile-works near Cologne, and points out how its local distribution 

 shows that the eucapsulcd larvfe passed from the clay, hy -way of iiu- 

 washcd hands and the like, to their human hosts. Several obvious 

 hj'gienic i)recautions are suggested, the symptoms of the disease are 

 described at length, and the mode of treatment noted. 



The observations of Leichtenstern as to eggs and larvfc arc corrobo- 

 rated. The mature animals are more abundant in jcyunnm and upper 

 regions of the ileum than in the duodenum. They attach themselves to 

 the mucous membrane, and suck blood. The number present varies 

 from 15-3000. The ditlereuces between the sexes and some of tho 

 prominent features aro then described. The average length of life is 

 five years. 



Gape Worm of Fowls.* — Lord Walsinghara calls attention to Dr. 

 n. D. Walker's recent paper f on the Gape Worm of Fowls (^Syngmniis 

 trneheaJis^. 1'hc American naturalist claims to have discovered that tho 

 common earthworm (Lumhricus terrestris) is the intermediate host of this 

 parasite, and suggests the use of common salt on infected poultry runs 

 with the object of destroying the hosts. This theory is strongly sup- 

 ported by the experience of game preservers ; those who have fed birds 

 with food carefully moistened with pure spring water only have had 

 good results, though they have not always escaped from attacks of the 

 disease. Dry summers are always much more favourable for rearing 

 pheasants and partridges than those in which there is much rain ; as 

 everybody knows, earthworms do not come to the surfixce so long as the 

 ground is dry and hard, but when it becomes sufficiently moistened they 

 reach the surface, and all sjiecies of birds of which they form a natural 

 or favourite food arc eager to seek and devour them. Notwithstanding 

 the incredulity with which Dr. Walker's results have been received in 

 America, Lord Walsingham thinks that men with field experience will 

 be inclined to endorse them. 



5. Incertae Sedis. 



Asplanchnidae.J — M. J. de Guerne takes the opportunity of having 

 to describe a new species (^A. Imliofi) of Asplanchna from Lagoa Grande, 

 to w'rite a monographic note on this family of Rotifers. The other new 

 species described are A. HerricM, A. Krameri, and A. Girodi. A key- 

 table of the known species is given, the characters of the masticatory 

 ajiparatus being taken as one of the most imi)ortaut aids in distinction. 

 A new genus {^Asplanchnopus) is proposed for BracJiionus muliiccps of 

 Schrank. The author is of opinion that the genus Ascomorpha should 

 not be placed with the Asplanchnidfc ; it has only been so assigned 

 because of the absence of an anal aperture, but this is a character due to 

 adaptation to a peculiar mode of life, and if generally adopted, would 

 lead to a very incorrect idea of the relationship of Eotifcrs. In Asco- 

 morpha the mastax is feeble, and the form and appendages of the stomach 

 are very peculiar ; for the present it had better be left among the forms 

 incerise sedis. The synonymy of the three known species is given. 



♦ Nature, xxxviii. (1888) pp. 324-5. 



t Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci., v. (1886-7) No. 2. 



X Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ii. (1888) pp. 28-40. 



