THE SPERMATHECA OF EURYCEA BISLIXEATA. 255 



cloaca. Kingsbury speaks of "ventral glands" but since many 

 of the tubules are in the lateral walls of the cloaca and far dorsal, 

 some beginning near the walls of the spermatheca, the more 

 general term "cloacal glands" may be accurate enough. The 

 cloaca at this stage is very simple; the walls are smooth and 

 the only projection or fold is a small median papilla. 



Other young animals prepared are 58 mm., 59 mm., 64 mm., 

 66 mm. and 68 mm. total length. But after metamorphosis 

 there is no definite guide to the age of the animals as length is 

 not a criterion and the size of the gonads is variable in all ages 

 at various seasons, and within this range of lengths mature 

 organs are found. A 67 mm. female killed in April was functional 

 with spermatozoa in the flask tubules. A 68 mm. animal killed 

 in June had a mature spermatheca which undoubtedly had been 

 functional at least during the recent breeding season. Another 

 April specimen, 69 mm. long, contained spermatozoa. Roughly 

 speaking, size up to 68 or 70 mm. indicates sexual immaturity. 







Animals longer than 70 mm. will generally have the mature 

 organ. Exceptions must be numerous considering the variable 

 length of individuals at metamorphosis (I. Wilder '24). 



In a 58 mm. animal identified by Mrs. Wilder as in advanced 

 metamorphosis there are four distinct tubules in the dorsal region 

 of the cloaca. They are in pairs two on each side of the median 

 line and one pair posterior to the other. These tubules are 

 made up of a very small group of cells closely grouped and 

 darkly stained with barely perceptible lumina and short ducts. 

 The ducts very nearly reach the thick walls of an invagination 

 of the cloacal wall which is the anlage of the central tubule. 

 Several smaller but otherwise similar groups of cells appear 

 more ventral but are most probably not part of the spermatheca 

 group. 



A 59 mm. animal in the incipient metamorphic stage also 

 shows two pairs of tubules, one posterior to the other. Although 

 this animal is not as far advanced in metamorphosis as the 58 

 mm. individual, the spermatheca anlage is in a more advanced 

 condition. The lumina of the tubules are definitely open, the 

 necks curve somewhat dorsally toward the median line and 

 reach the walls of the central tubule. The opening of the central 



