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Parasites of Man.

longer speak of the genera Distoma, Tristoma, Polystoma, Selerostoma, and so forth; but, following Diesing, they prefer to convert the final Greek component into a true Latin syllable. Thus we have Distomum, Polystomum, Sclerostomum, and the like. Long habit has so fully familiarised us with the old plan of retaining the Greek termination unaltered, that I confess to some reluctance in parting with the final component (stoma) although the form is not strictly classical. On the other hand, the introduction of new and more striking departures from the legitimate method of employing the binomial nomenclature is much to be deprecated. Such a barbarism as Hyperbodon butzkopf, for example—intolerable as it must sound to the scholar's ear—is, nevertheless, freely accepted by well-known Naturalists both at home and abroad. In helminthology there are probably fewer glaring errors of nomenclature than occur in other departments of Natural History science. Nevertheless, I think Mr. Grove's criticism in the matter of the family term Distomidæ perfectly just.[1] Following the practice of the late Edward Forbes and others, I have frequently, and as I think fittingly, employed the names of savans for the purpose of forming new genera and species. Thus, by almost universal consent (on the Continent, at least) my genus Bilharzia has been adopted: its general acceptance being in part due, no doubt, to the fact that, as a generic term, it had priority over the various other titles severally proposed by Diesing, Weinland, and Moquin-Tandon.

Nematoda Continued.

28.—Filaria lentis, Diesing.

Synonymy.—Filaria oculi, Owen; F. oculi-humani, Von Nordmann.
Remarks.—This small worm was originally discovered in a case of lenticular cataract, under the professional care of the distinguished oculist Von Gräfe. Similar cases have also been recorded by Jüngken and Sickæl, by Gescheidt and Von Ammon, and by M. Fane, There is no certain evidence as to the sexual maturity of the worms obtained in these cases, although in one instance the parasite measured three-quarters of an inch in length.
Literature.—The standard works of Leuckart (I. c. Bd. 1L, s. 622,} and Davaine, (L. deuxième edit., p. 831.) and in my Entozoa, (p. 332.)

20.—Filaria labialis, Pane.

Syn.— None.
Remarks.—The original description of this species was based upon the "find" of a medical student at Naples. The worm (of which the female only is known} was an inch and a quarter in length, and occupied a pustular cavity in the upper lip.
Lit.—Quoted by Leuckart (s. 616) and Davaine, (Synops, c. VII.,) from Pane's Nota di un clininte nematoide, in Annali dell. Acend. degli aspirante Naturaliste, Napoli, 1861, (Ser. 3, Vol. IV.)

30—Fileria hominis oris, Leidy.

Syn.—None.
Remarks,—This apparently sexually immature worm was described by Prof. Leidy, from a specimen preserved in alcohol, and labelled as having been obtained from the mouth of a child. It measured five and a half inches in length.
  1. See the "Midland Naturalist" for May, p. 123.