114 
Haematozoa in Wild Animals 
violet or violet-blue tint. Whereas the parasite depicted in Fig. 6 shows 
no internal structure, the others contain very fine chromatin particles. 
In one parasite (Fig. 9) transverse achromatic bauds are observable. 
Although the parasites vary somewhat in size they are remarkably 
uniform in shape. I do not know what else to call them than spiro- 
chaetes. Their form suggests that in life they may possess an eel-like 
movement, but this appears unlikely from the fact that the four parasites 
are all curved similarly. They measured 20 to 25 p by 1 to l'5p. 
It is possible that these parasites belong in the same category as 
those described and figured in a photomicrograph by Bowhill (1905, 
p. 7, PI. XI, Fig. 8) and which he regarded as larval nematodes in the 
blood of a horse at the Cape. Bowhill’s parasites measure approximately 
15 p in length, and, judging from his figure, possess darkly stained 
granular protoplasm. They appear to have been very numerous in the 
blood of the horse, which was suffering from biliary fever. 
The buffalo parasite also recalls forms described by Edm. and Et. 
Sergent (1903, p. 1163) and roughly figured by them. The Sergent para¬ 
sites were discovered in the blood of a native of Algiers who suffered 
from attacks of perspiration every night but appeared otherwise normal. 
The parasites occurred in the blood with a definite periodicity, i.e. only 
during the daytime (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The man’s symptoms resembled 
those of an “acces larve de paludisme.” This parasite must be rare, since 
the Serpents failed to find it before in the course of hundreds of routine 
blood examinations made in hospital patients. The parasites were not 
detected in fresh blood-films. In stained preparations they measured 
36 to 45 p by 1 to 1'5 p. As a rule they tapered uniformly at both 
ends. They appear to be flattened and fairly rigid structures, the 
curvatures being slight. Stained by azur-eosin they mostly assumed a 
pale mauve tint. In some well-stained specimens the middle third of 
the parasite appeared blueish and granular, in others this part (the 
nucleus ?) of the parasite appeared pale, distinctly granular and 
surrounded by a refringent line. Not more than 25 parasites were 
encountered in a single blood-film. 
REFERENCES. 
Bowhill, J. (i. 1905). Equine piroplasmosis or “ biliary fever.” Journ. Hygiene, 
v. 7—17, Plates I—III. 
Sergent, Edm. and Et. (17, x. 1903). Sur un nouveau protozoaire parasite ectoglo- 
bulaire du sang de l’homme. Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, lv. 1163—1165, 
1 fig. 
