﻿24 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



NEMATHELMINTHES. 



(^EMATODA, ISTeMATOMORPHA, AND ACANTHOCEPHALA.) 



Of the Nematodes, or Thread-worms and their allies, our 

 knowledge is exceedingly meagre. A number of the parasitic 

 forms are no doubt known to occur with us, but there is 

 scarcely a record in the ordinary natural history literature, 

 and it has not been possible to search for reports of cases 

 in medical and veterinary journals, where perhaps a few 

 might have been found, or to make much inquiry for 

 unpublished data. The minute free-living species, of which 

 there must also be many, offer an excellent field for research. 

 New forms, it is quite certain, would reward the investigator. 

 When looking for Eotifers in damp moss sent by me from 

 this neighbourhood, Mr James Murray has found half a 

 dozen species of microscopic Nematodes, some of them belong- 

 ing not only to new species, but to a new genus and family. 

 Mr Murray has recorded the three known forms.^ but is 

 holding over the others till he sees what Dr Richters, who 

 is studying the type, publishes. On the basis of a rough 

 estimate of the number of British Nemathelminthes, I should 

 think 150 not too many to expect from this district. 



Nematoda. — The following are the few Nematodes for 

 which I have local records. Imported foreign species, such 

 as the miner's worm {Ancylostomum dtcodenale), of which 

 Dr Lovell GuUand tells me he has seen several cases here, 

 are purposely omitted : — 



Ascaris lumhricoides, L. — Common in man (Dr Gulland, in lit.). 



A. 7nystax, Zed. (marginata, Rud.) — Common in dogs. I have 

 received specimens from Messrs Gofton and Linton. 



A. communis, Dies. — Taken from two bullheads {Cottus scorpius) 

 from North Berwick, Oct. 1908. For the identification of this 

 and the other forms from fishes, I am indebted to Dr W, Nicoll. 



A. clavata, Rud. — Dalyell's A. gadi, irom stomach of cod in 

 Edinburgh {/^owers of the Creator, ii. (1853) p. 93), was probably 

 this species, as perhaps are also specimens I have from Sperlings 

 {Osmerus eperlanus) from Alloa, Dec. 1907. 



A. fahri, Rud. — In Oct. 1907, I took half-a-dozen specimens 

 of this from a Greater Weever [Trachinus draco) caught off 

 Anstruther. 



^ "Some interesting Nematodes in the Forth Area," Ann Scot. Nat. Hist., 

 1906, p. 164. 



