332 ERNESL' WARREN. 



it is therefore conjectured that perhaps after copulation the 

 duct disappears and fertilisation is effected not via the vagina 

 and oviduct but by direct passage from the spermatheca 

 through the htemocoel to the ripe ova in the ovarian tubes. 



l^he cells of the spermathecal gland are of great size with 

 large nuclei and fairly well-defined cell-outlines (PI. XX, 

 fig. 81). These cells bear large vacuoles filled with a somewhat 

 dense secretion, which is discharged in the middle of the 

 gland into an irregular canal {gl. d.) communicating with the 

 spermatheca. It is to be supposed that the secretion of 

 the gland preserves the vitality of the stored semen, and it 

 may assist in the discharge of the semen (se.) from the 

 spermatheca {s. u\). In this connection the muscles {in.) 

 surrounding the spermathecal-wall will play an important 

 part. 



In Termitomimus the female genital organs are essen- 

 tially similar, but they are rather simpler in character. The 

 median vagina consisting of a high epithelium and surrounded 

 by a muscle-layer runs forwards ventrally and opens directly 

 into a somewhat dilated sac with thinner epithelium. This 

 sac is slightly bilobed in front, and is expanded laterally. 

 The lateral wall of each side bears about six short ovarian 

 tubes, consisting, as far as observed, of a single pair of 

 elements, a distal mass of nutritive cells and a proximal 

 ovum surrounded by a layer of follicle cells. This anterior 

 sac presumably represents the fused right and left oviducts. 

 The spermatheca is more globular than in Paracorotoca, 

 but there is a quite similar, large, bilobed spermathecal gland 

 associated with it. 



Alimentary Canal. — The gut exhibits considerable reduc- 

 tion and sjjecialisation. It may be divided into: (1) stomo- 

 dfeum, consisting of (a) mouth and pharynx, (b) pumping 

 apparatus or sucking pharynx and (c) long, gradually 

 widening oesophagus; (2) mesenteron; (3) proctodajum 

 consisting of (a) ileum, (b) colon a,nd (c) rectum (PI. XVIII). 



Mouth and Pharynx. — The mouth is very small; it is 

 bounded above by a chitinous setose labrum and below by a 



