38 THOMPSON YATES LABORATORIES REPORT 
tapered. The tail end tapers very gradually for the last third of the length of the 
worm and then at a distance of about 10 p. from the tip more rapidly, to end bluntly. 
The contents of the body of the worm are granular (plate XIV, fig. 7). 
In stained specimens (plate X, fig. 5) the length of the embryo only 
averages 81*5 fi. The column of cell nuclei at the head end appears abruptly broken 
off — there is some looseness of the cells here also. 
The ' spots ' : generally two are seen, sometimes only one, which is constant. 
1. A narrow slit or break in the cell column ; distance 32*9 per cent. 
of whole length. 
2. Oval in shape, occupies the whole breadth of the worm ; distance 
58*5. This spot is constant. 
Filaria shekletoni. Nov. Sp. 
Definitive hosts : Cypselus affinis. 
Hvphantornis aurantus. 
Site. In Cypselus affinis our only two specimens, both females, were found, 
one lying under the pericardium along the whole length of the heart ; the other in the 
peritoneal cavity on the upper surface of the liver. On breaking one of these, 
numerous embryos, similar to those found in the heart's blood, emerged. 
The female is white in colour, 12*5 mm. long, 0*29 mm. broad. 
r ' f 1 -, i-66, 4 -2 2, 33.4, t 
Lobh s formula : ^ 
-, 1-44, 2-i 1, i-88, 0-55 
The body tapers towards the head end (plate VI, fig. 4) which is rounded 
and somewhat flattened dorso-ventrally. The oral orifice is terminal, and has no 
appendages. The oesophagus is straight, has no bulb, measures o - 5 mm. in length. 
The anal orifice is not quite central terminally, but is situated a little towards the 
ventral surface. The tail end (plate VI, fig. 5) is slightly curved and flattened. 
The vaginal orifice is at 0-42 mm. from the anterior end. The vagina and uterine 
tubes resemble those of filariae previously described. The egg measures 46*6 fx by 
33^. The length of the embryo 3 1 5 
The male is unknown. 
The embryo in fresh blood specimens are very long, roughly measured to be 
about 360 m ; it has very active lashing movements, but only slowly progressive. 
It has no sheath ; the contents are somewhat coarsely granular ; the head end is 
rounded, has no papilla nor spine ; the tail end tapers gradually to a very fine point. 
In stained specimens (plate VI, fig. 2) the length averages 235 /u, breadth 6*4,01. 
There is a very slight transverse striation of the somewhat thick cuticle. The head 
end shews no baying in the column of cells, which here ends abruptly. 
