344 



DISCOVERY REPORTS 



expansion of the cephalothorax, the primitive saddle-shape of the ovary being lost 



(Fig. 246). 



The growth of the ovary is a continuous one, the eggs increasing in size and number 

 until they reach an average diameter of o-66 mm. and a total number of between 11,000 

 and II 500. They become arranged in diagonal rows, extending from the dorsal to the 

 ventral surface. Just before laying, the eggs are so tightly packed that they take on 



Fig 25 Dissection to show the female reproductive system in a mature (not gravid) specimen 

 (anterior view), x 15. cm, coxal muscle; egp, external genital aperture; Jam, flexor abdommalis 

 muscle; nc, nerve cord; od, oviduct; ov, ovary; sgl, shell gland; sp, spermatophore ; spm, sperm 

 mass; th, thelycum. Deeper dissection shown on right side of diagram. 



a pentagonal or hexagonal shape towards the external surface and are roughly conical 



on the inner side. 



Raab (191 5) found that the eggs when first detached from the germinal layer had fine 

 granular cytoplasm and a relatively large nucleus. As the eggs mature, the cytoplasm 

 becomes coarsely granular, as more yolk material accumulates. The full-grown eggs 



are full of yolk. 



At the same time there develops round the oviducts a series of diffuse glands, con- 

 sisting of actively secretory cells, which according to Raab produce the egg capsules. 



