Nematodes from East African Hosts. 223 



whilst those of S. hrevicaudata are taken from specimens in 

 the British Museum from a West African lizard. 



The reasons for regarding Strongyluris gigas as a distinct 

 species can be summed up as follows : — 



(1) The great length and thickness compared with the other 



species could hardly be due to variation. 



(2) The male of S. ornata as described by Linstow has one 



more pair of caudal papillce, whilst the median 

 '^ papilla " in S, gigas is not nearly so distinct as in 

 Gendre's form, although in other respects the papilla3 

 agree with his description. 



(3) The ratio of the lengths of the tail and oesophagus to the 



total length of the worm is much lower in the case of 

 S. gigas than in the other forijis, and such a difference 

 could not be accounted for by variation. 



(4) The size of the eggs is much greater than in the other 



two species. 



(5) The female tail is distinct in shape from that of other 



species, being neither so acute as in the S. ornata 

 of V. Linstow nor so obtuse as in the 8. ornata of 

 Gendre. 



Fhysaloptera affinis (Gedcelst, 1916). 



An examination of examples of this species from Psammo- 

 pJiis suhtceniatus shows that the four branches of the uterus 

 originate dichotomously, as described for Physaloptera 

 ahhreviata and P. pallaryi by Seurat (1917), and not simul- 

 taneously as in P. varani. 



Leidy describes a species, Physaloptera ahjecta, from 

 Psammophis flagelliformis, a snake found in the United States 

 and Mexico. This host is in reality a Zamenisj and the 

 worm is probably distinct from P. affinis, which occurs in 

 Psammophis in Africa. 



Contracoicuni microcephalum (Rud., 1809). 



Specimens referred to this species were taken from Ardea 

 purpurea^ Ardeola ralloides^ and Scopus umhretta hanner- 

 manni. The last-mentioned appears to be a new host. 



Ascaris sp. 



Some Ascarids, not referable to either of the genera Belas- 

 caris and J'oxascaris were taken from Genetta (? stuldmanni). 



