M. ANANT NARAYAN RAO 179
at a place near the posterior end but no structure
representing a blepharoplast or parabasal body
can be made out at the starting of the flagellum.
The nucleus is situated a little behind the middle
of the body and close to the nucleus, placed either
anterior or posterior to it, is present a circumscrib-
ed chromatin body, probably the blepharoplast.
The location of this structure which stains deeper
than the nucleus is unique and makes one surmise
about the identity of the parasite. The morpholo-
gical features of this trypanosome do not resemble
those of any known species. It may possibly
be a developmental form of Trypanosoma theileri,
if not entirely new to science (Plate XVI, fig. 4).
A very careful examination of several blood
smears from the peripheral blood of all the three
animals obtained simultaneously with those from
skin lesions failed to reveal T. evansi of T. theileri.
A histological examination of pieces of skin
snipped off the lesions did not show any micro-
filariae, contrary to the finding of such larval
helminths associated with skin lesions in cattle
[Srivastava, 1939]. In the circumstances the pos-
sibility of this trypanosome playing a pathogenic
role in the causation of skin lesions is mooted.
(In Plate XVI, fig. 4 no tissue cells have been
drawn but only R.B.Cs. have been included to give
comparative idea of the size of the Trypanosomes).
Further work is warranted when similar cases
present themselves hereafter.
Cancer of the horn and eye of cattle
(a) Since publishing a report on the finding of
ova of Schistosoma nasalis in the so called cancer
growths of the horn [Rao, 1935], it has been possi-
ble to find ova in sections of horn growth from a
few more bovines. The nasal discharge from these
animals also revealed ova of Schistosoma nasalis.
(b) Sometime ago, while examining sections of
an epitheliomatous growth from the eye-lid of a
bullock, a section of nematode worm was seen.
Opportunity was taken to study serial sections
and a reconstruction of the sections of worms
revealed that it was a species of Thelazia (Plate
XVI, figs. 1 and 2). The writer wishes to record
this interesting finding. The section of the healthy
portion of the eye-lid showed microfilaria in a
capillary vessel of the dermis. What relation
these microfilariae have to the worm or to the
lesion, is worthy of investigation.
The presence of worms, of their products, such as
ova, in the so-called cancerous growths of the horn
and the eye of cattle makes it necessary to confine
more attention on the causation of such lesions in
bovines. Paucity of information on the subject
makes one presume that parasitologists have not
paid adequate attention to this very important
question.
The author also places on record his finding of
unsheathed microfilariae in skin lesions of many
cattle. Such lesions consist of nodular eruptions
and corrugations of the skin, the scrapings from
which did not reveal any mange mites. This
confirms Srivastava's [1939] finding of similar
microfilariae in skin lesions of cattle in Bombay
Province. Photomicrograph (Plate XVI, fig. 3)
of section of skin showing the microfilariae
is appended.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks are due to S. N. Vaidyanathan,
Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and P. Doraiswami
Mudaliar, the College Artist for help rendered.
I am indebted to the Hon'ble Miriam Rothschild
for getting the flukes from the tiger identified.
REFERENCES
Laveran, A. (1902). Sur un nouveau trypanosoma does
bovides (tryanosoma theileri)C. R. Acad. Sci. 134, 512
Rao, M. A. and Ayyar, L. S. P. (1933). Schistosoma suis
N. Sp. A schistosome found in pigs in Madras. Indian
J. Vet. Sci. Anim. Husb. 3, 321-4
Rao, M. A. and Mudaliar, S. V. (1934). Some observations
on the trypanosomes of cattle in South India.
Indian J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb. 4, 362-95
Rao, M. A. and Swaminatha Ayyar, R. (1935). Ova of
schistosomes in faeces of a dog. Indian J. Vet. Sci.
& Anim. Husb. 5, 1-5
Rao, M. A. (1935). Further observations on bovine nasal
schistosomiasis. Indian J. Vet. Sci. & Anim. Husb.
5, 266-73
Rao, M. A. (1937). A preliminary report on canine schisto-
somiasis in the Madras Presidency. Indian J. Vet. Sci.
& Anim. Husb. 7, 109-12
Srivastava, H. D. (1939). Cutaneous microfilariasis in
Indian Cattle (Preliminary report). Indian J. Vet.
Sci. & Anim. Husb. 9, 389-91
Swaminathan, R. (1934). Indian Vet. J.11. 112-4