22 



debris therefrom should be most carefully burned. In the opinion 

 of the exhibitoi-s, the Microsporidian parasite, Nosema apis, had 

 been responsible for much of the bee-disease recorded in this 

 country since 1906, especially in 1906, 1907, and 1911. The 

 exhibitors first noticed the parasite in 1 906 in diseased bees ob- 

 tained from the Isle of Wight ; its full significance was grasped 

 in 1907, but owing to the difliculty of obtaining material the 

 exhibitors' results were not published. As much attention was 

 now being directed to "bee-disease," the exhibitors briefly recorded 

 their observations. It was not asseited that microsporidiosis was 

 the only disease of bees current in Great Britain at present, as 

 Dr. Maiden had investigated a bacillary infection in bees. Micro- 

 sporidiosis had probably been introduced from the Continent into 

 Biitish apiaries. 



Dr. R. T. Leiper, F.Z.S., gave a demonstration of Nematode 

 parasites obtained from animals in the Zoological Gardens during 

 the year ending November 1910. 



The collection contained a number of new forms, of which a 

 systematic account will be published later. Among the more 

 interesting of the known forms were Rictularia plagiostoma 

 from a Palm-Civet, a number of species of Folydelphis from 

 various Pythons, Dicheiloinena Jiorrida from the South American 

 Ostrich, and Dictyocaidus filaria from the lungs of Sheep. 



It was noticed that whereas intestinal parasites Avere almost 

 wholly collected from animals that had not lived in the Gardens 

 for more than six months, those of which the normal habitat and 

 food were the internal tissues of the host occurred in animals 

 that had been confined in the Gardens for several years. Thus, 

 an undescribed Filaria was found in a Lemur after four years, and 

 Filaria australis in a Wallaby after two and a half years' captivity. 



In all these cases the number of parasites obtained was small, 

 and could have had little or no efi'ect upon the health of the 

 host. There was a remarkable preponderance of female forms. 



From these observations it appeared that the change of food 

 and general conditions obtaining in the Gardens were unfavourable 

 to the continued existence of the intestinal parasites an animal 

 may harbour on its admission. The number of cases of auto- 

 ancl re-infection during captivity was strikingly small, and bore 

 testimony to the cleanly surroundings in which the animals were 

 kept. In four cases only was there evidence of the occurrence 

 of accumulative infection in the Gardens : — 



1. A number of Giant Toads died from lung infection with 



Rhahdias hufonis. 



2. The Wolves appeared to be heavil}^ infected with Ascaris 



canis. 



3. A Sheep died from pneumonic condition resulting from 



an intense infection with Dictyocaidus Jilaria. 

 i. The Tortoises had Oxyuriasis. 



