A human case of Philophthahmis infection in the eye is reported from Ceylon. Reasons are given for not attempting a specific diagnosis.

This is the second record of this genvs from man, and is also the first trematode to be observed from man in Ceylon.

We are grateful to Professor V. Sivalingam for facilities to identify and report on the parasite, and to Professor J. J. C. Buckley for his suggestions. The photomicrograph was kindly prepared by Mr. R. Surendranatham of the Medical Research institute, Colombo.

1. A new Caryophyllaeid cestode Adenoscolex oreini n.g., n.sp., from fresh-water fish, Oreinus sinuatus, is described.

2. Genus Bothrioscolex Szidat, 1937 is regarded as a synonym of the genus Khawia Hsü, 1935. The existing species of Khawia are listed and are briefly described.

An account is given of the results of preliminary studies of the worm-burden of goats and sheep in Ghana, West Africa, based on fortnightly counts of nematode eggs in their faeces over a period of three years, 1954 to 1956, inclusive. Only eggs of nematodesand Moniezia expansa were encountered apart from an occasional egg of Schistosoma sp., probably S. bovis, in two sheep. Four centres were involved in these investigations differing appreciably in regard to the amount and distribution of the rainfall. It would seem from the results obtained that:—

There are in the drier regions two distinct periods in the year when worm-egg production in goats and sheep reaches a high level compared with that at other times of the year, a high peak of production in June, sometimes a month either earlier or later, and a slight peak in November or December.

There are seasonal variations in the forest belt regions but here the peaks of egg-production are less evident and more irregular in respect to the time of their occurrences in different years.

This worm was very abundant in the rectum of a tortoise, Homopus femoralis, from the Bloemfontein area, Orange Free State, South Africa. It was found together with several other oxyurids the description of which will form the subject of a later paper. Although the Probstmayria far exceeded the other oxyurids in number, male specimens of this genus were extremely rare for only one male was found after a prolonged search during the course of which many hundreds of females were encountered. In order that no specimens should be lost the entire alimentary canal together with its contents was submerged in hot 70% alcohol after scraping the mucosa.

In a critical review of the genus, the authors after studying ample material arrived at the conclusion that only four of the twenty-one species are valid. The shape of the testes is shown to vary from smooth to deeply lobed, and minor differences in the sucker ratios are considered invalid.

Paramphistomum explanation, Gastrothylax crumenifer, and Fasciola gigantica were maintained for periods of twelve hours in a non-nutrient medium containing streptomycin and penicillin to prevent bacterial growth. They were kept under aerobic conditions at a suitable temperature of 37%C. The protein content in P. explanatum ranged from 50·0% to 54·7% with an average of 52·96%±0·23 of the dry weight of the tissue. In G. crumenifer it ranged from 43·5% to 51·5% with an average of 48·8%±0·56 of d.w.t. In F. gigantica it ranged from 63·8% to 68·3% with an average of 66·5%±0·26 of d.w.t. The nitrogen content of the P. explanation excreted as ammonia after a starvation period of twelve hours was 3·95% and as uric acid it was 0·077%. In G. crumenifer the ammonia was 2·91% and uric acid 0·033%. In F. gigantica ammonia was 2·51% and uric acid 0·1%.

Promising results in the colorimetric assay of potato-root eelworm hatching factor have been obtained with picric acid and with 3: 5- dinitrobenzoic acid. Both of the reagents are used for the assay of cardiac glycosides with which the hatching factor may have affinities.

The general principles underlying the conduct of hatching tests are described. Methods for collection of material, and for its preliminary assay are described; the information gained in this way is then used in designing hatching tests. The interpretation of the data resulting from such tests is described and limits are set between which interpretation is possible.

Of a total of sixteen Jackdaws examined, four were found to be infected with Trematodes. These yielded a total of five species, two of which are new to the British fauna, namely Urotocus thalonetensis and Tamerlania zarudnyi. The other parasites found were Platynosomum petiolaium, Lyperosomum longicauda and Prosthogonimus ovatus. With the exception of P. ovatus all the species are described in the text.

Chicken pens previously infested with eggs of Ascaridia lineata were sprayed with formulations containing sodium pentachlorophenate, an alkyl polyamine, and 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol.

Six-week-old chickens were placed in the treated pens for eight days, then sacrificed. The larval ascarids recovered from the intestines were counted.

The ovicidal activity of sodium pentachlorophenate was manifest by almost 65% reduction of worm burden which developed in susceptible young chickens. The other compounds investigated appeared to be relatively ineffective.

A new genus and species of filarioid worm is described from the peritoneal cavity of fruit bats, Pteropus hawaiiensis from Fiji and the name Chiropterofilaria brevicaudata n. sp. is given to it. The microfilaria is described. This appears to be the first record of a nematode from this host. The new genus is differentiated from its nearest genus Lemdana in that the spicules are only slightly unequal; and in the female worms, the oesophagus usually make several turns around the vagina before joining the intestine. From the same host, a second microfilaria, Microfilaria fijiensis n. sp. is described, the adults of which were not found.

Giant cell formation was studied in the roots of potatoes grown in a soil infested with Heterodera rostochiensis.

Some indication of giant cell formation was found in roots fixed 14 days after planting of sprouted tubers in the infested soil.

Giant cells may be formed by the cells of the cortex, the endodermis, the pericycle and the parenchyma cells of the central vascular strand.

The first giant cells appear to be formed in the cortex and pericycle.

Giant cells in the cortex are only found near the head of an eelworm.

Giant cell formation by the parenchyma cells of the central vascular strand leads to no cambium and hence no secondary xylem being produced in those sectors of the root where they occur.

The occurrence of sectors of the root in which there is no secondary xylem gives the central vascular strand an irregular appearance.

Some giant cells may be multinucleate. They all have granular cytoplasm.

The present communication deals with an account of a new species of Euparadistomum based on material collected on two occasions from the gall bladder of the fox, Vulpex alopex. In all, nine specimens were available for study.

The flukes are flattened and pyriform with broadly rounded anterior and posterior ends. The body measures 4·3–5·9 mm. in length with a maximum width of 2·3–3·8 mm. attained at about the equatorial level of the body.

Re-descriptions are given of the following species :—

1. Lyperosomum longicauda (Rudolphi, 1809) Looss, 1899.

2. Lutztrema monenteron (Price and Mclntosh, 1935) Travassos, 1941.

3. Dicrocoelioides petiolatum (Railliet, 1900) Dollfus, 1954.

4. Brachylaemus fuscatus (Rudolphi, 1819) var. nicolli (Witenberg 1925).

Previous host records for these trematodes are given.

A list is given of the host records made during the survey.

Three new records are made, viz: Achillurbainia recondita Travassos, 1942; Metadelphis evandroi Travassos, 1944; Rhopalias coronatus (Rudolphi, 1819) Stiles and Hassall, 1898; all are recorded from the manicou, Didelphis marsupialis insularis (Allen) from Trinidad, British West Indies. Descriptions of all these species are given.

A new genus Morgascaridia is proposed for Paraspidodera sellsi Morgan, 1927, which is redescribed.

The systematic position of the new genus, and of the genus Schneidernema, is discussed and it is suggested that both should be referred to the family Ascaridiidae.

The systematic position of the family Ascaridiidae is considered and it is believed to show greatest resemblances to the families placed by Chabaud in the superfamily Ascaridoidea, and is accordingly referred to that superfamily.

Descriptions are given of 16 species of cestode found in Hertfordshire birds.

The taxonomic position of the genera Choanotaenia Railliet, 1896; Anomotaenia Cohn, 1900; and Paricterotaenia Fuhrmann, 1932, is discussed in detail.

A new species Anomotaenia verulamii, n.sp., from the Song Thrush (Turdus ericetorum) is described.

A new species Paricterotaenia albani, n.sp., from the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is described.

A new species Paricterotaenia mariae, n.sp., from the Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is described.

A total of 18 new host records and 23 new records for this country are reported.

In December, 1957, Dr. Zaheer Ahmad, Veterinary-Assistant Surgeon, Baswada, handed over to the writer for specific determination a few specimens of Stephanofilaria which had been collected by him from ear-sores of buffaloes in Baswada (Nizamabad). Since on examination the material was found to consist only of females, it was not possible to identify the species. On consultation of relevant literature, however, it was noted that ear-sore infection associated with Stephanofilaria had been recorded by Gopalkrishnan in 1949 in Assam and later referred to by Menon (1952) in connexion with the treatment of “Contagious Ottorrhoea“ in buffaloes in Travancore.

Travassos (1937) in his monograph on Trichostrongylidae Leiper, 1912, deals with Trichostrongyles belonging to 91 genera under 13 subfamilies of which 4 are new. He places Molineus Cameron, 1923, along with 33 other genera in the type subfamily Trichostrongylinae Leiper, 1908. Subsequently Skrjabin and Schulz (1937) erected the subfamily Molineinae with Molineus as type.

1. A new species of Wuchereria is described, from the lymphatic systems of dogs, cats and Genet Cats (Genetta tigrina) on Pate Island off the Kenya coast. It is named W. patei after the island on which it was first discovered.

2. The new species belongs to the “W. malayi” group which are characterized in the microfilarial stage by the presence of one terminal and one sub-terminal nucleus in the tail; and in the adults by the presence of only 5 pairs of adanal papillae in the male and by the well-developed centre section in the left spicule.