106 



The trypanosomes, very few of which were seen, were 

 about 0*035 mm. in length, the maximum breadth being 

 0*002 mm. Their form was elongate, the middle portion 

 being uniform in breadth, but gradually narrowing anteriorly^ 

 and posteriorly, each end being pointed. The anterior ex- 

 tremity was longer and narrower than the posterior. The- 

 kinetonucleus was situated at 6*003 mm. from the posterior 

 end. The part between this and the end was only slightly 

 stained, whereas the rest of the body was deeply coloured 

 (Giemsa). The nucleus could not be detected. The undulat- 

 ing membrane was extremely narrow, and appeared to be 

 very short. A flagellurn was not recognized. 



The occurrence of trypanosomes in Australian birds does 

 not seem to have been recorded previously, consequently Dr. 

 Bancroft's discovery is of considerable interest. A typical 

 film has been donated to the Trustees of the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney. 



Protozoa ( ?) present in the blood of Zosterops 



CCERULESCENS. 



Plate xxv., figs. 18-20. 



In a film from one of the specimens of Zosterops cceru- 

 lescens in which Halteridia were detected, peculiar bodies 

 were present in considerable numbers. Whether these are 

 protozoa or not we are unable to decide. They had a superficial 

 resemblance to the leucocytozoa of birds, but a definite relation- 

 ship to any of the cells of the blood could not be established, 

 though they were frequently found in close proximity to 

 injured red cells. That they were adventitious bodies, acci- 

 dentally incorporated in the films when these were made, 

 seems unlikely, as the slide was practically free from extran- 

 eous dirt. 



The bodies varied considerably in size and appearance, 

 but presented in general an elongated spindle-shape and a 

 deeply-stained blue body (Giemsa's stain). The length was 

 from 0*008 mm. to 0*0133 mm., and the maximum breadth 

 0*0025 mm. to 0*004 mm. In some cases one end was gradu- 

 ally pointed and the other bluntly truncated. No definite 

 nuclear apparatus was detected, but in all large, rounded, 

 deep-blue granules were present. Sometimes a dozen or so 

 of these were present, grouped around a central paler area; 

 in others they were fewer and scattered ; and in two elongated 

 forms they were present as two deep-blue, spore-like bodies 

 surrounded by paler areas, a little distance on each side from 

 the centre. Sometimes, attached to the more pointed end by 

 a delicate strand, was an almost isolated smaller mass. 



