676 OUT A UNIQUE PATHOLOGICAL CONDITION IN A HARE. 



From the appearance of the eggs it is obvious that the lesions 

 were due to a Nematode worm of the Trichosoma group. Search 

 was accordingly made and a number of worms were obtained. In 

 every case, however, they were fragments lacking the anterior 

 and posterior extremities. The longest specimen measured 

 27 mm. It was a female, full of eggs, and it was very slender. 

 It was narrowest at the anterior end ("14 mm.), the breadth 

 increasing gradually towards the posterior end where it was 

 •23 mm. The cuticle was marked throvighout with fine annular 

 striations. The vagina was of considerable length but no genital 

 aperture was seen, so that it must have been far forward. In 

 the vagina a number of eggs were present, which were much 

 larger than those first seen. They measured •070--078 x "040- 

 *045 mm. The shell, too, was much thicker, the increase being 

 almost entirely due to a great thickening of the inner layer. 

 The polar apertures were somewhat reduced in size and the eggs 

 were for the most part in the four-celled stage. 



The lesions in the liver showed much resemblance to those 

 seen in advanced stages of coccidiosis, a very common condition 

 in rabbits. For this reason they might readily be diagnosed as 

 such on cursory examination. This, so far as can be gathered, is 

 the first record of such an infection of the liver of hares or rabbits 

 by parasitic nematodes of this kind. 



An analogovis condition has not infrequently been met Avith in 

 rats, and has been reported from Europe, India, and Australia. 

 No record has been made of its occurrence in this country. 



Whether this parasite in the hare is the same as that in the 

 rat must remain doubtful, for the descriptions of the latter have 

 hitherto not paid much attention to the character of the eggs 

 beyond mentioning that they resembled those of Trichosoma. 



An attempt is being made to hatch the eggs and to produce 

 infection in rabbits and rats, but the development is extremely 

 slow even at a constant temperature of 26° C. 



In addition to the lesions in the liver the hare had a very 

 heavy infection of Trichost7^ongylus retortceformis in the intestine 

 and a slight intestinal infection with Coccidium cuniculi. The 

 intestine and the appendix, moreover, showed a large number of 

 small calcareous patches, but on examination nothing of a parasitic 

 nature could be detected in the patches. This was of interest 

 from the fact that I had already seen similar patches in the 

 caecum of a Variable Hare, sent me from the Society's Gardens. 

 The liver, unfortunately, was not submitted for examination. 

 That these patches might have something to do with the liver 

 condition was not impossible, for they might be considered as 

 degeneration following injury such as the passage of a worm 

 through the intestinal wall. 



The hare, further, showed signs of recent parturition and there 

 was a septic condition of the uterus, and it must remain an open 

 question as to whether death was due to this or to the liver 

 disease. 



