ENTERIC EPITHELIUM 273 



having the form of long flat spindles (Fig. 71, p. 283, M. PL] 

 exhibiting a delicate longitudinal striation and covered on 

 their free surfaces with a fine network of protoplasm con- 

 taining scattered nuclei. Each plate is arranged longitu- 

 dinally, extending through several segments, and with its 

 short axis perpendicular to the surface of the body (Fig. 72, 

 M. PL\ It is by the contraction of the muscle-plates that 

 the movements of the body, which resemble those of an 

 earthworm, are produced. Finally, within the muscular 

 layer and lining the ccelome is a very thin layer of cells, the 

 ccelomic epithelium (CoeL Epthui). 



A transverse section of the enteric canal shows only two 

 layers. The inner consists of elongated cells (Ent. Epthm) 

 fringed on their inner or free surfaces with cilia : these con- 

 stitute the enteric epithelium. Outside these is a very thin 

 layer of flattened cells (CoeL Ept/im') bounding the ccelome, 

 and hence called, like the innermost layer of the body-wall, 

 ccelomic epithelium. We have, therefore, to distinguish 

 two layers of ccelomic epithelium, an outer or parietal layer 

 (Ca'L Epthm.} which lines the body-wall, and an inner or vis- 

 ceral layer (Ccel. Epthm} which invests the enteric canal. 



We are now in a better position to compare the transverse 

 section of Hydra and of Polygordius (Fig. 55, A 1 , and Fig. 

 69, c). The deric epithelium of Polygordius being the 

 outermost cell-layer is to be compared with the ectoderm of 

 Hydra and its cuticle with the layer of the same name 

 which, though absent in Hydra, is present in the stem of 

 hydroid polypes such as Bougainvillea (p. 236). The enteric 

 epithelium of Polygordius, bounding as it does the digestive 

 cavity, is clearly comparable with the endoderm of Hydra. 

 So that we have the layer of muscle plates and the two layers 

 of ccelomic epithelium not represented in Hydra, in which 

 their position is occupied merely by the mesoglaea. 



