Four new species of Strigeid Trematodes are described from Central African Birds of Prey. They are: Strigea neotidis from Neotis cafra denhami, Strigea lilensis and Strigea rhodesiensis from Pseudogyps africanus and Strigea cuncumae from Cuncuma vocifer vocifer. The relationships of these new forms to other species in the genus Strigea are discussed.

Antigens were prepared by low temperature methods to preserve “functional” antigen. These antigens showed marked cross reactivity and were satisfactory in complement fixation tests.

The passive haemagglutination test using “functional” antigen gave titres which were higher than those obtained with the complement fixation test. High antibody titres were observed in sheep naturally infested with nematodes and a relationship between antibody titre and egg count was demonstrated.

During November 1953 some specimens of henbane plants, Hyoscyamus niger, were received from Long Melford, Suffolk. On examination these plants were found to be infested with Ditylenchus dipsaci. According to the farmer, henbane is a difficult crop to grow on the farm and it is possible that D. dipsaci may have been the cause of previous trouble, although another pest, the henbane flea beetle, Psylliodes hyoscyami L., is also prevalent in the area. Henbane is a biennial and is cultivated for medicinal use. Three acres on this field were ploughed up in 1053 because of failure due to eelworm damage.

In early May 1954 some annual aster plants (Callistephus chinensis) being grown in sterilized compost in seed boxes were received from a nursery at Mildenhall, Suffolk. Many of these plants were severely stunted and malformed, and some were completely dead. At first sight it looked as if the centres of these plants had been eaten out, but subsequent examination revealed a heavy infestation of chrysanthemum eelworm (Aphelenchoides ritzema-bosi), living ectoparasitically among the young leaves. Bunches of nematodes were easily visible in the leaf axils under the low power of a binocular microscope, or even under a good hand lens.

Amongst thousands of specimens of Paramphistomum microbothrium Fischoeder, Cotylophoron cotylophorum (Fischoeder), Carmyerius exoporus Maplestone, and Carmyerius mancupatus (Fischoeder) 645 specimens of Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium (Fisqhoeder) were found in the rumen of one Zebu steer and in lesser numbers in the rumens of two other Zebu cattle slaughtered at the abattoir at Nakuru, Kenya.

There is a winter dormancy in the hatchability of some species of Heterodera. The dormancy varies in degrees with eelworm species, being slight in the case of beet eelworm and more pronounced in the case of potato-root eelworm and some other species. It is not wholly dependent on immediate environmental conditions but possibly is induced by previous conditions. The dormancy can be shortened by storing infested soil at certain temperatures, but the cessation of dormancy in spring is not necessarily associated with rise in soil temperature.

The essential features of the method, which is described in detail, are a sieving technique to collect quantitatively the Fasciola hepatica eggs of a sample of cattle faeces, a new technique for transferring quantitatively the eggs to a measured amount of water, and a new technique for obtaining even distribution of the eggs within a counting chamber. Technical details for manufacturing the apparatus and the counting slide, designed to perform the different stages of the method, are given. The correctness of the resulting counts is demonstrated.

Gravid proglottides of Raillietina (R.) celebensis (Janicki) are reported from a child in Brisbane, Queensland. Complete tapeworms of the same species are reported from Rattus assimilis Gould, from Mt. Glorious, South Queensland. A critical survey is made of all the cases previously recorded from man. Raillietina (R.) madagascariensis is for the present, regarded as a species sub judice. Raillietina (R.) demerariensis var. trinitatae Cameron & Reesal, 1951 has been raised to specific rank and named R. (R.) trinitatae (Cameron & Reesal, 1951) nov.comb. The synonyms of R. (R.) celebensis; R. (R.) demarariensis; R. (R.) alouattae and R. (R.) trinitatae, are discussed.