90 Mr H. Goodsir on the Sexes of the Cirripeds, Sfc, 



escape from the ovaries. They are deposited in this place by 

 the ovipositor until they are sufficiently matured to be expelled 

 from the body of the parent animal. Likewise, there is no ap- 

 pearance whatever of any glandular structure in this part of 

 the animal, which could be adduced in support of this opinion. 



In looking over these various opinions, we find that Cuvier's 

 is the one which approaches nearest to fact in regard to 

 the female organs of generation. If a common Balanus (Ba- 

 lamis balanoides) is taken from the rock during the month of 

 April, and the enclosed animal examined, the oviducts, or what 

 Hunter termed the vasa deferentia, will be found filled with an 

 immense number of minute yellow granules. These are the 

 ova. After a period, they pass along the oviducts and oviposi- 

 tor ; the organ which Hunter termed the penis ; and are in- 

 troduced in this way into the interior of the shell, or rather in- 

 to the cavity which exists between the body and mantle of the 

 animal. The ova are arranged in irregular layer-like masses 

 at the bottom of this cavity, and sometimes it is completely 

 filled with them. At this season the ovipositor is constantly 

 bent downwards and inwards along the right side of the body 

 of the animal. The ova, when within the oviducts, as has been 

 already stated, are of a globular shape ; but as they escape, or 

 shortly after they are lodged in the cavity of the mantle, they 

 assume an ovoid shape, sharper at the posterior extremity than 

 the anterior. When sufficiently matured to be expelled from 

 the body of the mother, which may be either immediately be- 

 fore or after the young animal bursts through the ovisac, they 

 are carried out in successive currents at each retraction of the 

 cirri. 



From the above statements it will be seen that Cuvier's 

 opinion as to the nature of the granules which he observed in 

 the ovary was correct, viz. that they were ova. So that the 

 organ which Hunter considered as the male secreting organ, is 

 in fact the ovary. The only other part, then, which could act 

 as an impregnating organ, was the tubular proboscidiform organ, 

 which, according to some authors, has a glandular structure 

 near its base, and which is considered by them to be analogous 

 to the testicle. Nothing, however, will be found in this organ 

 having a glandular appearance or structure, so as to allow us 

 to maintain this opinion. 



