INTRODUCTION. 
Prot. 3 
INTRODUCTION. 
The Protozoa Record for 1903 deals with 433 papers, shewing a decrease of 
about 17 as compared with 1902. As, however, there are few T er memoirs 
belonging to previous years included this time, the decline in output is 
more apparent than real. 
Works of a medico-biological character are, of course, again much in 
evidence ; those concerning trypanosomosis largely predominate in 
number. In this connection the Recorder would point out that he has 
felt himself obliged to leave out — speaking broadly — “ malarial ” papers. 
Reference to the literature appendices of the “ Referate ” section of the 
“ Centralblatt fur Bakteriologie” will shew scores of such memoirs, most of 
which the Recorder could not possibly see, and to include which would 
greatly swell the list of titles to no useful purpose so far as this Record is 
concerned. Papers relating to trypanosomosis have, on the other hand, 
practically all to be included. 
The reason for this differential treatment is supplied by the character of 
the works in question. While the study of malaria is at present chiefly 
confined to the discussion of prophylactic and hygienic measures — there 
being scarcely anything to note with regard to the morphology and life- 
history of the parasite, that of diseases caused by other forms of Msemato- 
zoa is, as yet, in its infancy and hardly a paper appears which does not 
contain important remarks bearing upon the Trypanosomes themselves. 
The only other point to mention here is that there is a slight decrease, 
not so much in number as in importance, of papers of a palaeontological 
nature, the falling off’ being more especially noticeable in the case of those 
dealing with the description of Italian fossil Foraminifera. 
The Subject-index this year is modified in character, owing to considera- 
tions of space, and merely indicates the contents of the papers referred to, 
without abstracting or analysing them. Attention may therefore be here 
directed to the more important works in the different sub-divisions. 
Schaudinn (333) again contributes a most able and valuable memoir, 
albeit described as a preliminary note ! Returning to the Rhizopods, the 
author considers principally (though not by any means solely) the para- 
sitic Entamoebse of the alimentary canal and reveals a far more compli- 
cated life-cycle in these organisms than has hitherto been known. 
Unfortunately, the paper, though lengthy, is not provided with any 
figures. Traube-Mengarini (388 & 389) describes the first authentic 
instance of conjugation in Amoeba. Fowler (119) gives an interesting 
account of the complicated structure of the Radiolarian Planktonetta. 
The Sporozoa do not, on the whole, bulk so largely in this year’s Record, 
and only three or four papers require special notice. Nusb^um (282) 
describes a remarkable new Gregarine, appropriately named Schaudinnella , 
which possesses very distinctive features, some of them being unique in 
this order. Leger & Duboscq (211) figure the interesting case of 
anisogamy in Pterocephalus , of which mention was made last year (Zool. 
Rec. 1902, No. 217). A brief paper, also only a preliminary note, but one 
of fundamental importance in the study of Hsemosporidia is that of Siegel 
(349), who demonstrates the existence of an alternation of hosts and of a 
digenetic life-cycle in the case of a Hsemogregarine. In a footnote 
Schaudinn corroborates these facts for Karyolysus , parasitic in lizards. 
Laveran & Mesnil (203) describe a new Piroplasma , causing Dum-dum 
fever in India, this being the first instance of the occurrence of piro- 
plasmosis in man. Among Flagellata, Trypanosome papers naturally 
occupy a prominent place. Bruce & Nabarro (38 & 39), Castellani 
(52-55), and Dutton & Todd (94) contribute to our knowledge of the pa- 
rasite of sleeping-sickness, the last-named investigators further describing 
