ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
417 
The plant, which had seeded twice and had hitherto done well, all of a 
sudden began to droop and wither. On removal the root was found to 
be infested all over with white worms 5-10 mm. long. 
Nephridia of Branchiobdella.* * * § — M. D. N. Voinov describes the 
nephridia of B. varians var. Astaci. They consist of (a) a ciliated 
funnel, which is stalked and movable, and opens into the body-cavity ; 
(b) the red gland of Odier, a lobed capsule with irregular lacunae and 
regular canals; (c) the canalicular cord or Schleifenorgan, which is 
folded four times on itself, and, having fused along the surfaces of 
contact, presents the appearance of four canals, which all communicate 
in the capsule ; ( d ) the efferent canal, which is without cilia ; and 
(e) the oval terminal vesicle. The whole apparatus resembles that of 
Hirudinea; the lumen seems to be intracellular, and the protoplasm 
shows strong radial striations around the cavities. The whole surface 
of the nephridium is enveloped by peritoneum. The nephridia absorb 
not only fluid, but also solid bodies, arising from the fragmentation of 
chloragogen cells. 
Biology of Leeches4 — M. Alex. Kowalevsky has chiefly studied 
Glepsine complanata , and has made comparative observations on other 
fresh-water leeches. By the use of litmus he finds that the principal 
part of the intestinal canal has an acid reaction, while the terminal part 
is alkaline. The cloaca, however, has an acid reaction. The coelomic 
canals and spaces are full of a liquid which is very rich in leucocytes, 
and possesses a well-marked alkaline reaction. The large cells on the 
walls of the coelomic cavity have an acid reaction, and the author pro- 
poses to call them the acid-cells. In the nephridial areas the author 
finds a number of phagocytic organs. This property of the nephridial 
cells has also been observed by the author in some aquatic Oligochaeta. 
Nematohelminthes. 
Asearis megalocephala as Cause of Death.J: — Herr Komer narrates 
two cases in which Asearis megalocephala was the cause of death of 
horses. An old horse died of peritonitis from perforation of the small 
intestine by A. megalocephala. In a two-year old filly the irritation 
produced by the presence of the parasites was so severe that there was 
not only prolapse but rupture of the gut, the animal dying from 
haemorrhage into the abdominal cavity. 
Filariosis in Negroes of the Congo. || — M. Ch. Firket examined the 
blood of negroes brought from districts of the Congo basin to the 
Antwerp Exhibition of 1894, and also of negro children brought up 
in the Institute of Gyseghem, for Filaria. The number examined was 
54, of which 39 were males, 15 females, the ages varying from 6 to 25 
years. In 30, or 55 per cent., Filarise were found. The blood was 
taken only in the forenoon (10-12) and the examinations were made 
from fresh and from dried specimens, the latter being stained with 
* Comptes Rendus, exxii. (1896) pp. 1069-71. f Tom. cit., pp. 165-8. 
x Deutsche Tierarztl. Wochenschr., 1896, No. 3. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. 
Parasitenk., xix. (1896) p. 792. 
§ Bull. Soc. Acad. Roy. Med. de Beige, 1895, p. 19 (1 pi.). See Centralbl. f. 
Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l ta Abt., xix. (1896) pp. 791-2. 
