236 
A Myxosporidian 
preparations (Kudo, 1922). I am inclined to think that the spores measured 
by Ohlmacher underwent a strong shrinkage. Yet it is difficult to understand 
that Whinery who, notwithstanding his having studied fresh spores, records 
exactly the same dimensions as Ohlmacher, although he remarks that the size 
varied to some extent. 
In view of the size of the spores, and their general appearance, striae and 
occurrence, etc., I am unable to regard the form I have herein described as a 
new species. 
As is the case with every species of Myxosporidia, malformation of spores 
is frequently noticed. Two or three spores, each with three shell-valves and 
as many polar capsules, are always seen in every smear preparation. Ex¬ 
tremely small spores are also not infrequently noticed (Figs. 83, 98). 
THE MODE OF INFECTION. 
Regarding the mode of infection with L. ohlmacheri, Ohlmacher states: 
“as to the origin of the myxosporidian infection, we can only conjecture that 
it must have occurred by way of the cloaca to the bladder, eventually lodging 
in the kidneys.” This amounts to a mere supposition, and consequently has 
received little attention from recent investigators. 
Joseph (1907), working on Chloromyxum protei, parasitic in the lumen and 
epithelium of the uriniferous tubule of the kidney of Proteus anguinus, came 
to the following conclusion: 
Fragt man sich nach dem Infektionsmodus, so ist es nach den Befunden an anderen 
Myxosporidien und den lokalen physiologischen Verhaltnissen in der Niere am wenigsten 
wahrscheinlich, dass ein befallenes Tier mit den in ihm entstandenen Sporen sich selbst 
von neuen infiziert, das Naheliegendste ist doch sicher die Annahme einer Ubertragung auf 
ein anderes Individuum auf dem Wege des Wassers. Der Umstand, dass die jiingsten In- 
fektionsstadien sich meist in den Harnkanalchenabschnitten fanden, die unmittelbar mit 
dem Colom in Verbindung stehen, Hess die Vermutung in mir aufkommen, ob nicht dies 
der Weg ist, den die Keime, die Darmwand durchsetzend, nehmen und veranlasste meine 
Fiitterungs- und peritonealen Infektionsversuche. 
In the course, of his study on S. dimorpha , parasitic in the urinary bladder 
and Wolffian ducts of C. regalis , Davis (1916) noticed that “ spores when placed 
on the slide without previous exposure to sea water, and mixed with a drop 
of fluid from the pyloric caeca of the host, usually germinated within five to 
fifteen minutes,” and concluded that “it appears probable, therefore, that 
the free spores, when taken into the intestine of the host, germinate, and the 
sporozoites, as free amoebulae, actively make their way into the urinary 
bladder.” 
According to the results obtained by Auerbach and Erdmann, the spores 
of M. bergense, Z. hildae or C. leydigi, germinate in the duodenum of the new 
host fish. The liberated amoebulae pass through the bile duct, and reach the 
gall bladder where they grow into trophozoites and undergo sporulation. 
In the case of L. ohlmacheri , the circumstances are similar to those of 
