DAOTYLIUS ACULEATUH. 405 



days, on rising in the morning, slie voided from tlie urethra seven 

 or eight." At all events, the worms received by Curling were 

 subjected to a most rigid examination, as proved by the exceedingly 

 minute and accurate description he has given of them. It is need- 

 less to give full details of the worm, but an abstract of his descrip- 

 tion, as abridged by Dr. Beale, may prove useful : — " The female 

 was four-fifths, and the male only two-fifths of an inch in length. 

 The tegument was armed with spines, occurring in clusters. The 

 worms exhibited active movements, and when left in the urine 

 they lived for two or three days. There were no symptoms in the 

 case pointing to any derangement of the urinary organs." For 

 my own part, I believe this spurious parasite to be identical with 

 Henle's Enchytrceus alUdus, which is a small whitish-coloured 

 annelid, not uncommon in our gardens, and particularly liable to 

 take up its residence in the soil of flower-pots.* Its mode of 

 migration from the flower-pot to the chamber-pot is not very 

 difficult of explanation, even although Mr. Drake may not have had 

 reason to entertain the slightest suspicion that he was being 

 imposed on. Curling's specimens have a more considerable 

 length than is usually obtained by the Enchytrceus albidus, and 

 this has led some to suppose that the species is distinct. I think 

 I have seen specimens of E. albidus as long as the so-called 

 Dactyhus. It may be well to add that the genus Enchytrseus is 

 characterized by a rounded body, which is pointed in front and 

 truncated posteriorly. The oral aperture is somewhat sub- 

 terminal, and the annulations of the body each support foar 

 bundles of uncinate setae or spines, of which latter there are 

 usually three to each fasciculus. Lastly, I may repeat that I 

 cannot, from his description, share in Curling's opinion that 

 " those conversant with the structure of the Entozoa will readily 

 recognize a true nematoid"in the so-called Dactylius aculeatus. 

 On the contrary, I agree with Von Siebold, Henle, Kiichenmeister, 



* See Miiller's " Archiv.," for 1837, s. 74, Table vi. 



