7
birds). Another important point is that the trypanosomes may have been present
it) the blood of the cattle in another stage and this is certainly suggested by the
recentobservations of Moore and Breinl ' on Trypanosoma gambiensi. These
observers have found the non-flagellate stage of this trypanosome in animals inocu-
lated with the parasite ; a similar stage may quite well occur in the blood of animals
infected with other trypanosomes. Until the life history of Piroplasma parvum is
traced out in the tick, these observations of Miyazima must be accepted with some
reservation.
,
A new species of Mammalian hæmogregarine has been discovered in the blood
1 of the South Indian hare Lepus nigricollis ; it is proposed to name it Leucocytozoon
leporis. This parasite is. shortly described in Volume I, No. VI. Further observa-
tions have also been made on Leucocytozoon funambuli, its method of reproduction
in the squirrel Funambulus pennantii has been found to take place only in the lungs
of the animal. This cycle which is shortly described in Volume I, No. VI, clearly
shows that although the parasite is related to the H œmogregarines of cold blooded
animals its life cycle in the squirrel is unlike that of such well-known forms as
occur in snakes.
Four if not five Bactracian hæmogregarines (vide Volume I, No. VII), have
been found to be common in Rana tigrina and Rana hexidactyla from certain ponds
and tanks which also contained two species of leeches, one a Clepsina .
T h e
leeches have been sent to Professor Blanchard for identification. These frogs
were also found to be infected with Trypanosoma rotatorium, Trypanosoma
karyozeukton? and a small species somewhat similar to Trypanosoma belli (vide
Volume I, No. VIII). Development of these trypanosomes has not been observed
in the leeches, and it is not yet certain whether the leeches have a natural
flagellate in their alimentary tracts.
Further observations on a number of Ophidian hœmogregarines are also being
conducted. This work has so far shown that snakes belonging to widely different
genera from this part of India are infected with a single species of Hœm o g r e g a r i n e .
This has been confirmed by the study of the method of reproduction of the
parasites in the lungs of the snakes. The making of new species on the examina
-
tion of stained films of the peripheral blood of snakes, particularly when they are
4 from the same locality, is therefore hardly justifiable.
A trypanosome has been found in the blood of three fresh water fish from the
river Adayar, Etropplus maculatus (Bloch), Gobius qiuris (Ham. Bech) and Rhyncob-
della aculeata (Bloch) ; trypanoplasma have not been found in any fish.
A coccidium has been found in the alimentary tract of Emyda granosa ; nearly
every specimen of this tortoise is infected with Hœm ogregarina nicoriœ (Castillani
and Willey). Another small coccidium was found in the alimentary tract of Lygœus
militaris, it is of some interest as these sporozoa have so far not been recorded
from the Rhynchota.
Cimex rotundatus.—Specimens of this bed bug were sent to the Institute from
Angola, West Africa, by Dr. Wellmann ; a number of specimens of the same insect
were also received from Sierre Leone through Dr. J. W. W . Stephens ; these facts
suggest that this bed bug is widely distributed in Africa. The occurrence of Kala
- Azar in certain districts of the Soudan, Sennar Province, and Wadi Medani, as
recently pointed out by Dr..Balfour ' should direct attention to the presence or
: absence of the bed bug Ci mex rotundatus. In view of the fact that a large number of
the Rhynchota are infected with harmless flagellates I have examined the alimentary
tracts of about 200 living specimens of Cimex rotundatus from all parts of India,
Burma and Assam, as well as those of some hundreds from Madras. I have failed
so far to find any natural flagellates in this bed bug. A few specimens of Cimex
lectularius from Northern India, London and China have also given negative
results.
Argas vespetilionis.–In last year's report the occurrence of this tick in India
was noted. Since then a few adult specimens, which so far are unknown to science,.
Moore and Breinl. Lancet, May 4th, 1907 ; Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology,Vol. 1., No. 3.
2
Balfour Lancet, December 21st, 1907.