ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
831 
and 1*5-2 *5 mm. in length. The worms move actively in a fluid 
medium, creep slowly in thick concoctions, or coil together in compli- 
cated knots. Dr. Lindner kept Anguillula oxo}>ldlse in various cultures ; 
they thrive well on a diet of white of egg, withstand even tolerably 
strong vinegar, are killed at once by pure acetic acid, are very slightly 
perturbed by artificial digestive cultures, live well on fruits, bulbs, &c. 
The females reproduce viviparously or oviparously, according to the 
nutritive medium and temperature, but soon die after reproduction ; nor 
are the males long-lived. They flourish best between 16° and 30° C.., 
and are killed by a temperature over 42° C., or under the freezing point ; 
on light and air they are very slightly dependent, but to drought very 
sensitive. After desiccation for three or four hours no revivification 
even of the eggs was observed. Dilfcrences in size followed differences 
of culture, and the worms have great powers of adaptation to most 
diverse conditions. Their natural home seems to be in moist mud and 
in putridity, but they are rare in drinking or running water. That 
millions of germs float in the air is a fable. How they get into the 
vinegar is uncertain, but they probably insinuate themselves at certain 
stages of its manufacture from brandy. In vinegar prepared from wine 
by the quick process they are very rare. Dr. Lindner describes some 
infection experiments, and reasonably urges that, although the “ vinegar- 
eels ” are not exactly dangerous, it is at once safer and more appetising 
to make sure either that the vinegar is of the better sort, or at least 
boiled and filtered. 
Parasites in the Blood of the Dog."^ — Dr. P. Sonsino finds that the 
dog is subject to infection by at least one species of Nematode, which 
discharges myriads of embryos into the circulation. This hEematozoon is 
Filaria hsematica (Gruby and Delafond) or F. immitis (Leidy), and 
inhabits not only the right cavity of the heart or pulmonary artery, but 
also the subcutaneous connective tissue, intermuscular connective, and 
various parts of the vascular system. The intermediate host is the louse 
Hsematopinus pilifer^ which receives the Filaria embryos from the dog’s 
blood. It seems that even the foetal dog may be infected by the j^ara- 
site. Sonsino agrees with Grassi in maintaining that Tsenia cucumerina 
of the dog has two intermediate epizoic hosts, Trichodectes latus, and 
also the above-mentioned louse, the latter being probably infected in its 
larval stage. 
Filaria immitis.j' — Herr 0. Defifke reports the case of a five-year 
old dog, born in Japan, and brought thence to Germany, which sufiered 
from chronic interstitial nephritis. Fifty examples of Filaria immitis 
were found in the right auricle and ventricle; a large number of embryos 
were found in the blood, but no eggs were detected. The substance of 
the kidney was seriously affected. 
Ascaris halicoris.| — Herr C. Parona reports on the Nematodes 
collected at Assab by Dr. V. Eagazzi. In one host twenty-six examples 
of A, halicoris were seen, and in another sixty-four ; this species resembles 
* Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat, x. (1889) pp. 20-65 (1 pL). 
t Monalshefte f. Prakt. Thierheilkunde, i. (1889) 16 pp. (4 figs.). See Ceiitralbl. 
f. Bakter. u. Parasitenkimde, vii. (1890) p. 515. 
X Aunali di Mus. Civico, vii. (1889) 14 pp. (1 pi.). Sec t. c., p. 514. 
