Cobb — Nematodes, mostly Atistralian and Fijian. 31 



long as the head is wide. There are six (?) indistinct papillae inside the row of 

 setae. The circular lateral organs are one-fourth as wide as the neck, and are placed 

 at a distance from the anterior extremity equal to four times the depth of the simple 

 somewhat cup-shaped pharynx. This latter is one-third as wide as the head and leads 

 into a eyUndroid oesophagus nearly two-thirds as wide as the neck and presenting a 

 very slight expansion in front of the distinct and deep cardiac constriction. For some 

 distance behind the pharynx the CBSophagus is very transparent. The lining of the 

 oesophagus when seen in optical section is more or less sinuous. At the beginning, that 

 is opposite the cardia, the intestine is somewhat transparent, giving rise at first to the 

 impression that some gland-like organ is present here, but careful examination serves 

 to dispel the deception. The intestine is two-thirds as wide as the body and is 

 composed of cells indistinctly to be seen on account of the multitude of granules with 

 which they are filled. The transparent rectum is conoid, and its length is equal to 

 that of the anal body-diameter. Nothing was learned concerning either the ventral 

 excretory organs or the lateral fields. The nerve-ring is situated near the middle of 

 the neck. The tail is conoid to the terminus, where it is one-sixth as wide as at the 

 base. The vulva is depressed. The eggs are twice as long as the body is wide and 

 one-fourth as wide as long, and are probably deposited before segmentation begins. 

 Illustrations on PI. ii. 



Hab. — Found in humus about the roots of banana plants, Fiji, July, 1891, where 

 it appeared to be uncommon. It is found also in Western Europe and many parts of 

 Australia. 



Genus TRIPYLA, Bastian. 



The comparatively simple and rudimentary Nematodes composing this genus 

 have the proportions indicated by the generic formulae i-s 7 3-2 — 3^6 — 27 ■^■°™>- and 

 2- mm. The species are usually found in moist or muddy soil, though 



1-8 2-8 3-3 3-6 27 



one is marine. The cuticle is in most cases finely striated and destitute of any 

 conspicuous hairs except the cephalic setse, which apparently vary in number from 

 six to ten and are invariably situated on the margin of the head, being in some cases 

 so reduced in size as to resemble papillae. The conoid neck ends in a head usually 

 truncate and bearing three broad flat and inconspicuous lips armed with one or more 

 inconspicuous papillae. Nothing is known concerning the lateral organs ; they must 

 if present be very inconspicuous. There are no eye-spots. A pharynx is altogether 

 absent, the mouth opening being on the surface of the head. The conoid to cylindroid 

 oesophagus is sometimes slightly larger near the head ; it is separated from the 

 intestine, which is one-half to three-fourths as wide as the body, by a distinct 

 constriction. The junction of the oesophagus with the intestine often forms a flat 



