45 



to consist of very minute black granules, mixed with others much lar- 

 ger and of a fatty nature. The caudal extremity of the male (fig. 2) 

 was slightly expanded, and terminated in two horn-like processes, one 

 on either side, with smaller horns or spines projecting from them, (fig. 

 2, a) ; these and the terminal half inch of the animal were invested with 

 a thin transparent and flattened membrane, (fig. 2), similar in shape 

 but much larger than that represented by fig. 12 as belonging to Stron- 

 gylus minor : some striae were observable on its inner margin, (fig. 2, 

 b b). When placed in spirit this membrane became opaque. Striae 

 proceeding in a parallel direction from the sides of the worm to the 

 median line, at an angle of 45°, were observable on the last half inch 

 of this extremity of the animal. 



In the females, which were not only larger but darker than the 

 males, the genital apparatus (fig. 3) was readily discernible through 

 the abdominal parietes. It occupied about the lower two thirds of 

 the animal, and consisted of two parts precisely alike ; each one com- 

 menced about the upper third of the body by a pointed process, which 

 gradually increased in size for the space of an inch, (fig. 3, a) ; this 

 space may be termed the ovarium : it then became contracted sud- 

 denly into a small duct, which was about three lines in length, and 

 corresponds to the oviduct or Fallopian tube (fig. 3, b), which opens 

 into the last portion or uterus (fig. 3, c), which is upwards of three 

 inches in length, and presents a series of contractions and dilatations 

 for the first two inches (fig. 3, d), which gives it a nodulated appear- 

 ance; for the last inch these nodes disappear, and both uteri ultimately 

 unite together and terminate in the small hook by a delicate opening, 



(fig. M) : 



The alimentary canal is straight throughout its whole length ; it 

 runs between the two uteri to the largest hook, at the side of which it 

 opens externally. In all the females examined the ovaria were full of 

 ova, and they presented these interesting peculiarities. In the upper 

 part of the ovarium the contents consisted principally of minute cells 

 or granules, which were larger and more developed towards the ovi- 

 duct. In the oviduct the granules had almost assumed the form of 

 ova, in the uterus perfect ova were found; those taken from the upper 

 part were full of vitelline globules (fig. 4), whilst those examined 

 lower down % in some cases were more opaque in one part than ano- 

 ther, and going still lower, the granules were observed to be fewer in 

 number but rather increased in size (fig. 5), and the oval figure in 

 which they were arranged was disturbed (fig. 6), they had disappeared 

 and probably had become absorbed at one point (fig. 7). In examining 



