308 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



defined vacuole (i.v.) which is invariably present. This is 

 the iodinophilous vacuole, which is characteristic of aK 

 members of the Phaenocystes belonging to the family 

 Myxobolidae. The nucleus in connection with each polar 

 capsule — the nucleus, i.e., of the so-called " capsular cell," 

 or portion of the pansporoblast from which each capsule 

 is formed — is shewn at (n.p.c). The two germ-nuclei of 

 the undivided sporoplasm are visible at (N). It may be 

 added that, in one or two instances, I could make out a 

 slightly deeper-staining line or thickening just internal 

 to the spore-wall on either side. These probably 

 represented the nuclear remains of those other portions 

 or organellae of the pansporoblast, which, as recently 

 shewn by Leger and Hesse,* give rise to the two valves 

 of the spore. As, however, I did not feel quite 3ure of 

 them, owing to the faintness of the staining, and as 

 neither of the spores drawn actually shewed them at all, I 

 have not included them in the figure. 



With regard to the systematic position of this parasite 

 of Gadus esmarlcii, the simple shape of the spore, lacking 

 any tail-processes, makes it apparent that it must be 

 included in the genus Myxobolus ; and, further, the 

 presence of two practically equal polar capsules places it 

 in the corresponding section of this genus. The dimen- 

 sions of the spore do not agree at all closely with those of 

 any Myxobolan spore, belonging to this section, which 

 has so far been described. Moreover, up till now no 

 Myxosporidian has been known to occur in one of the 

 Gadidae. Hence it is most probable that this Myxoholus 

 is a new species, for which I propose the name M. esmarlcii. 



H. M. W. 



Leger and Hesse, C. R. Ac. Sc, 19th March, 1906. 



