C. A. Hoare 
325 
the layers being filled up with a dark substance (cp. Fig. 15). Schubotz, on 
the other hand, declares that in the parasites described by him (from a turtle, 
Cycloderma aubryi) the capsule never appears in the form of a double-contoured 
membrane. 
The two aspects of the question find a compromise in the views expressed 
by Woodcock (1912) and Shortt (1917). According to these authors, the empty 
space around the parasites is due to shrinkage, the parasites, however, being 
surrounded by a distinct thin sheath which envelops their body closely. 
My preparations provide no data on which I could base authoritative 
conclusions. However, it is difficult to interpret the picture presented in 
Fig. 17 as ‘‘shrinkage of the parasite, and I am inclined to acknowledge the 
correctness of the second supposition, with the amendments made by Woodcock 
and Shortt. The question regarding the origin of the capsule—whether it 
presents the product of secretion of the parasite itself, as Sambon and 
Woodcock think, or is formed by modification of the adjoining portion of the 
cytoplasm of the erythrocyte as a reaction against the influence of the 
parasite—remains open, although the former supposition seems to be more 
probable. 
APPENDIX. 
In several blood films from Bufo No. 8 and Bufo No. 9 were encountered 
bodies (Figs. 26, 27) which differ so markedly from all the blood parasites 
hitherto known that I suspect them to have found their way into the blood 
or preparations by accident, the more so, as they were found in different 
hosts with distinct parasites. 
These bodies are spindle shaped, measuring 7*8 /.t by 1-5/x, the protoplasm 
is slightly granular, the nucleus centrally disposed, round and prominent, on 
account of its light colour. The structure of the nucleus is indiscernible. These 
bodies were nearly always encountered in groups of four in a row, as repre¬ 
sented in Fig. 26, rarely in pairs or singly. 
Once there occurred a pair of such bodies twice as large as the preceding, 
surrounded by a kind of capsule or membrane (Fig. 27). 
Unfortunately I can say nothing regarding the nature of these bodies. 
Mr C. Dobell suggested they might be the spores of an Ascomycete. 
REFERENCES. 
Billet, M. (1904). A propos de rHemogregarine de l’6myde 16preuse ( Ernys leprosa Schw.) 
de l’Afrique du Nord. C. B. Soc. Biol. lvi. 
Conor, A. (1912). Sur une Hemogregarine karyolysante de Naia hajae. Ibid, lxxii. 
Dobell, C. C. (1908). Some notes on the haemogregarines parasitic in snakes. Parasitology, 
i. 4. 
(1910). On some parasitic Protozoa from Ceylon. Spol. Zeylan. vn, Pt xxvr. 
Doflein, F. (1916). Lehrbuch der Protozoenkunde. 4 Aufl. Jena. 
Dutton, J. E., Todd, J. L. and Tobey, E. N. (1907). Concerning certain parasitic Protozoa 
observed in Africa. Ann. Trop. Med and Parasitol. i. 
