52 EDWARD DRANE CRABB. 



it appears that no gelatin is contributed by this gland. These ob- 

 servations indicate that the mass membrane gland probably se- 

 cretes only the membrane which envelops the entire mass of eggs 

 and thus they support Bandelet's conclusions regarding the func- 

 tions of this gland. 



The vagina (FG) is here considered that part of the female 

 system which extends from the mass membrane gland to the fe- 

 male orifice (FO). It is lined with ciliated epithelial cells and 

 does not possess any cells of the large glandular type. Its ex- 

 ternal orifice (F0~) is on the right side of the animal, at a point 

 about midway between the male orifice (MO) and the pulmonary 

 orifice (PO) when the snail is normally extended. 



The sperm receptacle or copulatory pocket (SPR) is a blind, 

 thin-walled pouch, lined with ciliated columnar epithelial cells and 

 capable of great distention. It is provided with a narrow duct 

 (SPRD) which is confluent with the vagina at a point (SPO) 

 very near the female orifice. It functions during copulation as a 

 receptacle for free-swimming spermatozoa, most of which dis- 

 integrate or are ejected within four hours after copulation. Ani- 

 mals killed after having functioned as females for fifteen to thirty 

 minutes have the receptacle enormously distended with fluid and 

 spermatozoa. Although there is nothing to warrant considering 

 this sac an actual gland, as H. B. Baker ('250) suspects is the 

 case in Lanx, it is capable of self lubrication and probably secretes 

 the thick yellowish fluid which occurs within it in virgins and in- 

 dividuals that have not mated recently. 



Instances of variations in which this receptacle is directly con- 

 nected with the vas deferens have been reported. Kleinert (Rob- 

 son, ,'23, Diver, '25) for Helix hortensis and Remanujam ('22) 

 for Vaginulidse, state that in these forms the sperm receptacle is 

 directly connected with the vas deferens, while Paluszenski ('10) 

 found in Helix: pomatia a short diverticulum on the duct of the 

 receptaculum which he considers a vestigial connection with the 

 oviduct. H. B. Baker ('25^, Fig. 24) shows a distinct connection 

 between the male and female conduits in Hendersonia. Hoffmann 

 ('12), Cerny ('07), Stubs ('98) and others have ascribed such 

 modifications to congenital, regenerative or pathological abnormal- 

 ities in the species which they studied. 



