76 PECULIAR CYSTOID BODIES FOUND IN DISSECTING ASSES. 
the nature of these (seen under §-inch power), for the fatty 
matter obscured the field. Cells were also seen in some, 
and in one of them a burst coat, exposing the granular in¬ 
ternal mass which had not become broken up, was observable. 
I found in one a body which might have been a crystal. 
I carefully examined the minor lymph glands of this animal, 
and found them blackish in colour and solid , being therefore, 
in both respects, markedly different from the cysts. 
These recalled to my mind some specimens of calcified 
small cysts which occurred in abundance in the liver of an 
ass in the dissecting room some two years ago, of which I 
fortunately retain specimens. They are variable in size, one 
of them, which much exceeds the rest, being as big as an 
average green-pea. Also I have often observed and had my 
attention called by students to small, rounded, calcareous 
masses situated near the ribs on the outer surface of the 
external intercostals. These are of the average size of the 
above described cysts. I have not seen any this season yet. 
I have examined the other asses placed fresh on the tables 
simultaneously with the subject from which the cysts were 
obtained, two out of the three were infested, but to a less 
degree than the first, the fourth presented no traces of any¬ 
thing of the kind. 
Observations.—Strongylus armatus was found in the 
anterior mesenteric artery in each case. In the first I found 
one small Strongyle externally to the peritoneum but quite 
distinct from the cysts. Also a few specimens of the same 
parasite were found in the large intestine and a single speci¬ 
men of Tania perfoliata. 
With the above evidence, I am in hope of being able to 
show that a distinct cystic parasite infests the ass, resem¬ 
bling in its size and general features the Cysticercus cellutosa. 
The evidence is good, but the microscopic result hardly satis¬ 
factory, though not altogether discouraging, since the fatty 
and colloid masses obscure the field. I have carefully ex¬ 
amined each cyst for evidence of a thickened portion cor¬ 
responding to a head, but have not been successful, though 
in one specimen which I have preserved in spirit, I see a 
yellowish, opaque body projecting outwards from the wall 
like an extruded nucleus. 
It is not unreasonable to suspect that some cystic parasites 
of the nature indicated affect animals so little cared for as 
asses. If these are not cysticerci I hope by investigation to 
be enlightened as to their anatomical nature. 
[We had hoped to have illustrated this paper, but were 
prevented by unforeseen circumstances.— Eds.] 
