APEIL.14, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



591 



but the location of the vulva in the anterior por- 

 tion of the body indicates that it is a new species 

 or else that the available descriptions of the 

 European ;S. strongylina are in error in describing 

 the vulva as near the anus. Spiroptera strongy- 

 lina has been reported from Texas in 1892 by 

 Francis, who states that this species is common 

 there but that the identification is doubtful, and 

 from Kansas in 1910 by Kaupp, who figures the 

 vulva as posterior. He may have so figured it as 

 the result of an error of interpretation. Speci- 

 mens in the helminthological collection of the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry were collected by Kil- 

 borne as early as 1884. These specimens show the 

 vulva in the anterior portion of the body. The 

 European species is usually described as having a 

 smooth mouth, though von Linstow notes six 

 round papillae. The American species has two lips 

 and six long papUlae. There are other differences 

 in the ratio of the length of the large and small 

 spicules. 



The worm occurs half buried in the mucosa of 

 the stomach and is therefore a dangerous parasite. 

 Von Ratz in 1897 reported an epizootic due to 

 Spiroptera strongylina, in which a number of 

 pigs were seriously affected and some killed. The 

 parasite caused sloughing of the gastric mucosa 

 and it is probable that the American species does 

 the same. It is therefore of some economic im- 

 portance. 



Associated with the American Spiroptera were 

 specimens of Physooeplialus sexalatus, recorded 

 here for the first time from the United States. 

 This is also the first record of its occurrence in 

 the domestic pig. Former records are from the 

 peccary and the wild boar. 



Dr. Goldberger presented a note on some trema- 

 todes of fish. The oesophagus presents a notable 

 peculiarity. It is ordinarily described as ending 

 at the fork where the intestinal ceca begin. In 

 some forms there is said to be no (Esophagus 

 present. This statement is due to a failure to 

 take into account a structure that is a part of the 

 ceca though it really belongs to the oesophagus. 

 This structure is limited posteriorly by a constric- 

 tion or sphincter, and is really a forked oesoph- 

 agus, extending from the pharynx to this con- 

 striction. This structure he has noted in the 

 genus Asygia and in Leticeruthrus. 



Dr. Goldberger also presented a note on a 

 trematode from a black snake. In this trematode 

 {StypJilodora bascaniensis) Laurer's canal does 

 not go to the dorsum and open to the exterior, 

 but ends in a globular swelling containing cells 



like vitelline cells and some other structures inter- 

 preted as spermatozoa. The worm has a well 

 developed sperm receptacle. Aspidogaster con- 

 chicola has been described as having a similar 

 form of Laurer 's canal. 



In discussing Dr. Goldberger 's paper. Dr. Stiles 

 called attention to the fact that in 1894 he had 

 stated in a paper on Fasciola magna that the egg 

 shell was probably formed by the vitellogene 

 glands rather than by the so-called shell glands. 

 A paper by Goldschmidt in 1909 has given in 

 detail the formation of the egg shell, his conclu- 

 sions being somewhat similar to those of Stiles 

 in 1894. Dr. Eansom stated that he had come to 

 the same conclusion regarding the shell gland of 

 certain bird tapeworms. He had thought that 

 possibly the walls of the uterus were partly re- 

 sponsible for shell formation as shells were found 

 only after the eggs had been in the uterus for 

 some time. 



Mr. Hall presented a paper entitled ' ' The Need 

 and DesirabOity of a Biological Survey of the 

 Parasite Fauna of the United States." The 

 amount of data relative to the occurrence, dis- 

 tribution, habits and importance of the animal 

 parasites of the United States is very smaU. 

 There are few persons who collect material or 

 contribute notes in this field of investigation. 

 The large amount of material in the government 

 laboratories at Washington has been largely col- 

 lected at Washington and at the slaughter-houses 

 at big packing centers, and in these cases there 

 is often little data as to the localities where infec- 

 tions were acquired. 



As a preliminary to a biological survey of our 

 parasite fauna, statements as to the occurrence 

 and distribution of our more important parasites, 

 so far as the occurrence and distribution is known, 

 should be made. Such a statement would furnish 

 incentive for additional records, as it is easier to 

 refer to such a record and add to it than to look 

 through our present scattered records, many of 

 which are not available to most persons. Con- 

 versely, such a record would serve as a guide in 

 looking for parasites. As an illustration of the 

 utility of such a survey, it may be noted that the 

 preliminary work on the hookworm made it pos- 

 sible for physicians to add intelligently to the 

 records, thus mapping out the infected areas. 

 Conversely, it led physicians to look for the hook- 

 worm in those states from which it was recorded 

 or where the records indicated that it would be 

 found, for such records indicate possibilities and 

 probabilities in addition to showing known facts. 



