1362 Microscopical Society. 



The outer integument is white, translucent, highly elastic and exten- 

 sible, and marked with regular fine transverse or circular rugae which 

 cannot be satisfactorily referred to the existence of circular fibres. 

 The membrane is composed of several laminae of a fibrous texture, and 

 the fibres composing these laminae appear to be so arranged as to de- 

 cussate each other in the alternate laminae. The internal membrane 

 or tube constituting the body of the worm is constituted of a delicate 

 pulpy substance thrown into rounded folds or processes hanging as it 

 were into the cavity or towards the axis of the animal. The pulpy 

 substance constituting these processes is studded with numerous 

 bright irregularly globular particles. Between the outer and inner 

 tubes, runs on opposite sides of the worm, a long band of muscle 

 which is continuous from one end to the other, and the fibres consti- 

 tuting these bands are not marked with transverse striae. On each 

 side of either of these muscular bands is a narrow tract of a substance 

 of minutely granular aspect, and having down its centre what appears 

 to be a slender channel or tube without distinct walls. It was hinted 

 that these granular tracts were of the nature of nerves, no other 

 trace of which, could at all events be observed. The cavity of the 

 worm circumscribed by the lobular folds above described, is occupied 

 by a grumous or pultaceous matter, in which the innumerable young 

 are imbedded in greater or less proportion. In some worms or in 

 some parts of them occupying the whole space, whilst in other 

 instances the grumous matter predominates, and only a few young 

 Filariae are here and there observed imbedded in it. 



Through this cavity also runs a narrow brownish coloured intestine, 

 simple and straight, consisting of a delicate transparent membranous 

 tube, and containing a brownish granular material. This intestine 

 terminates near the caudal extremity of the worm in a pointed ccecal 

 end. 



The young Filariae differ considerably in their outward form from the 

 parent worm, being furnished with a long, tapering tail, which con- 

 stitutes about two-fifths of the length of the body. The whole length 

 of the young one being about one-fortieth of an inch. The anterior 

 extremity is rounded, and exhibits a minute aperture, leading into 

 what appears at first sight, a simple ventricular cavity, but which un- 

 der particular circumstances is seen to be folded or convoluted. No 

 trace of muscular bands nor of any separate intestinal tube can be ob- 

 served in the young Filariae. The young are very nearly of uniform 

 size and appearance in all parts of the parent worm, but occasionally 

 one less developed than the rest is met with. Intermixed with the 



