ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 419 



bling tllat of /S'/eni'or ; E. hracliytona is tte new species. Platyirichotus is a 

 new genus (P. ojpistlioholus sp. n.) which appears to connect Molosticha and 

 Uroleptus ; its caudal appendage is not coiistant, but changeable in form 

 and extent ; in addition to the immobile dorsal hairs there are three long 

 flattened setee, which are voluntarily vibratile. 



Leucophrys patula.* — M. E. Manpas offers some remarks on the 

 strictures lately made by M. Balbiani j on his account of the development 

 of this infusorian. He states that he was well acquainted with the results 

 of previous observers, and he gives what he thinks is a complete list of 

 Ciliata which multiply after encystation in the way described by him. 

 What was seen in Leucophrys was, however, essentially different ; there is 

 in their history no encystation — what happens is this, so long as there is 

 abimdance of food, fission obtains ; when food grows scanty there is meta- 

 morphosis without encystation, followed by six successive divisions. 

 While this is the morphological difference, the physiological one is no less 

 important — the divisions are effected without vegetative grovpth, and have 

 for their final object not multiplication but conjugation. With regard 

 to the fecundity of tlie Ichthyophthirius cited by M. Balbiani the author 

 accepts the number of a thousand individuals in three days, but he points 

 out that Leucophrys at a temperature of 20° C. in a richly nutritious medium 

 would give rise to 16,384 individuals in three days ; suppress the food and 

 in a few hours this large number would be multiplied by 6-4 ; there would 

 be a total of 1,048,576 individuals, or more than a thousand times the 

 number of Ichthyophthirius. 



New Genus of Parasitic Infusoria.^ — Prof. M. Braun has a note on a 

 new genus of parasitic infusorians lately described by Herr Lindner, and 

 examined also by Prof. Blitschli ; it is a peritrichous form first found at 

 Cassel in water containing organic debris ; it was afterwards observed in 

 drain water from houses and cattle-stalls ; it lives in the ca3cal contents of 

 the pig, and in the fteces of typhus-patients, and even in urine. When these 

 waters are first examined the creature is not seen, but ordinarily appears 

 in from five to eight days. Although it has no stalk Prof. Biitschli places 

 .this infusorian with the Vorticellidse. If its food dries up several indivi- 

 duals unite and become encapsuled ; they multiply by longitudinal division, 

 and that with great rapidity in suitable fluids. 



It is proposed to call this new form Ascohium, though it is supposed to 

 be derived from Vorticella microstoma, which has gradually lost its stalk 

 from the change in its food ; Prof. Braun thinks it ought not to be regarded 

 even as a new species, but merely as the separated capitulum of a form 

 already known. 



Parasitic Protozoa in Ciona intestinalis.§ — Dr. C. Parona continues 

 his description of parasites found in the alimentary tract of Ciona. 



In addition to that described in a previous communication || anew genus 

 is formed, which has affinities both to Dallingeria and Trimastix, to which 

 •the name of Elvirea is given. 



The new genus has an oval body, rounded anteriorly and posteriorly. 

 Three flagella are carried anteriorly, of which the middle one is the 

 shortest, only one of these is used at a time ; the other two are carried 

 behind, or twisted round the body ; each of the three is used alternately. 



* Comptes Rendus, civ. (1887) pp. 308-10. 



t See this Journal, ante, p. 253. 



i Centralbl. f. Bacteriol. u. Parisitenkunde, i. (1887) pp. 204-5. 



§ Journ. de Microgr., xi. (18S7) pp. 25-a 



II See this Journal, 1886, p. 106. 



