130
Month.
1894.
July ...
August...
September
October
November
December
1895.
January
February
March...
April ...
Total ...
Percentage ...
Absent.
1
32
10
19
5
13
12
8
9
3
112
74.66
Few.
...
1
1
2
. . .
...
2
...
1
...
7
4.66
Numer-
ous.
1
1
1
2
1
...
1
...
. . .
1
8
5.33
Very
Numer-
ous.
...
...
1
2
...
...
4
1
1
3
12
8.00
Swarm-
ing.
...
3
1
. ..
1
2
4
. . .
...
11
7.33
Total.
2
37
14
25
7
15
23
9
11
7
150
100.0
Percentage.
Present.
50.00
13.51
28.57
24.00
28.57
13.34
48.00
11.11
18.18
57.14
...
25.33
Absent.
50.00
86.48
71.42
76.00
71.42
86.66
52.00
88 88
8181
42.86
...
74.66
The following table however shows the relative number of hæmatozoa in the circulation of all
Bandicoots examined:—
Hæmatozoa in blood.
In field of microscope
Number of bandicoots
Percentage ...
Absent.
...
112
74.66
Few.
1—5
7
4.66
Numer-
ous.
5—20
8
5.33
Very
Numerous.
20—50
12
8.00
Swarming.
Over 50
11
7.33
Total.
. . .
150
100.00
Absent.
. ..
112
74.66
Present.
38
25.33
The observations made during the years 1894 and 1895 confirm those of 1893 with regard to the
presence of the Trypanosoma in the circulation of young and half-grown animals of this species, and their
almost entire absence from full-grown animals examined.
The difficulty experienced in obtaining Bandicoots militated against the attempt on our part to
obtain a complete knowledge of the conditions of the blood of these animals, during each month of the
year. But it is more than probable, from our present knowledge, that the same changes with regard to
the Trypanosoma during the dry and wet seasons occur in the circulation of bandicoots as those
detailed as observed in the rat.
Several varieties of the Trypanosoma have been found in the blood of bandicoots, but they appear
to belong to the same species. One variety, however, is worthy of special mention, as it resembles a
long narrow leaf in shape somewhat.
Five or six of these animals were kept for some time in separate cages and their blood examined
daily with a view to determine the usual length of the paroxysms, &c., but in the two cases given below
in each instance, after a few days in captivity, the hæmatozoon gradually diminished in numbers until
they disappeared altogether.
Bandicoot II was caught in July 1894. The hæmatozoa were numerous on the first day on which
the blood was examined, but gradually decreased in number until none could be discovered ; this condi-
tion continued for several weeks, when unluckily it bit through its cage and escaped.
Bandicoot III was caught on August 1st 1894. Microscopical examination of the blood revealed
numerous hæmatozoa; their movements, however, were sluggish and wormlike. This animal was kept
in a cage, corn and clean water being supplied twice daily. From the 1st to the 7th August inclusive,
the organisms gradually decreased in number, and from the 8th to 26th, on which latter date the
bandicoot died, the hæmatozoa were absent from the blood.
In Column III of the following table will be observed how enormously the numbers of hæmatozoa
were found to vary in the blood of different bandicoots.
TABLE XXXVIII.
Showing the number of hæmatozoa, red and white corpuscles in one cubic millimetre of the
blood of Bandicoots [Mus (Nesokia) giganteus] :—