EDITOBIAL GLEANINGS. 341 



also said to be found in the stomach. Although uncommon in this country, 

 TcBnicB are often abundant in the Horses in Russia and Germany. Tania 

 perfoliata, the commonest species, infests the caecum and small intestine, 

 sometimes the colon. It is a small worm, seldom reaching more than two 

 or three inches in length — Rudolphi records it as reaching 80 mm. ; the 

 head is provided with four suckers, and, like the other two species, is 

 devoid of hooks ; the proglottides are thick and short, and the colour 

 creamy white. 



Nematodes we find in all parts of the body. This group of worms, 

 which contains so many parasites, is of much importance to those interested 

 in Horses and Horse-breeding in all parts of the world, for they are often 

 the cause of serious epizootic attacks, occasioning very considerable loss. 

 These Round Worms are particularly plentiful in the intestines of the 

 Horse, where perhaps they cause the gravest functional disturbances ; but 

 they also invade the kidneys, eyes, blood-vessels, serous membranes, skin, 

 &c. In Europe our chief pests are intestinal in habit, often causing great 

 mortality in foals. The following are those which are most prejudicial to 

 the health of the host, and which may be considered general equine pests : — 



(Sclerostomum armatum, S. rubrum, and S. tetracanthum.) 

 Two species of so-called " Red Worms " are well known in the Horse, 

 but observations made tend to show that we have evidently three species to 

 deal with, for the common Small Red Worm, usually taken to be the 

 S. tetracanthum of Diesing, does not agree with the detailed description of 

 that species, which Mr. Theobald has observed only twice in England. He 

 has therefore proposed provisionally the name rubrum for this Small Red 

 Worm, as a distinct species from the one described by Diesing. 



(Oxyuris curvula and 0. mastigodes.) 

 The Maw Worm (Oxyuris) is a very prevalent equine pest, but, as far as 

 can be gathered, it only occasions slight functional disturbances in digestion, 

 and violent burning and itching sensations in the rectum and around the 

 anus. When present in large numbers the Maw Worms nevertheless cause 

 emaciation, and cannot be otherwise than prejudicial to their host. 



(Ascaris megalocephala.) 

 This is perhaps one of the best known worms in the Horse on account 

 of its size, the female often reaching 14 in. in length, and the male from 

 6 to 10 in. It is a special parasite of Horses. In colour it is yellowish 

 white and rigid ; the oral region is restricted off from the body, and pro- 

 vided with three lips with teeth on their free margin. The ova are 

 globular, and are produced by hundreds, and are passed out in the host's 

 excreta ; numbers also come away with the female worms that are frequently 

 passed by the Horse. 



