iSl6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.84 



ency to spread mesad and laterad in the areas of their extent. In the 

 other exception, B. tHturi, the vitellaria are said to be lateral to the 

 intestinal rami, although nothing is said concerning their dorsal or 

 ventral extension. In the figure accompanying the original descrip- 

 tion of the species, the vitellaria are represented by about seven 

 follicles in each group. Here again (pi. 8, fig. 5) we see a tendency 

 on the part of these glands to be more numerous than was originally 

 figured and to conform more nearly to the pattern as outlined for the 

 group. These two exceptions, when compared to the other members 

 of the group, in no way alter the rule. 



In the second group, containing the species B. storeriae^ B. daviesi, 

 B. meridionalis, B. dorsale, and B. louisianae, the follicles of the 

 vitellaria spread from the superficial mesenchyme just under the 

 ventral surface around the lateral margin of the body to the dorsal 

 surface where they become confluent from side to side, thus forming 

 a continuous bridge of follicles across the dorsal surface, overlying 

 all genital structures and the digestive system throughout their 

 extent. 



The family Brachycoeliidae contains three well-defined genera, 

 Brachycoelium Dujardin, 1845, Glypthelmins Stafford, 1905, and 

 MesoGoelium Odliner, 1911, which, owing to the similarities of struc- 

 tures, especially of the excretory system, seem to justify their being 

 included in the same family and tend to establish the family as a 

 natural group. The justification of such a classification of these 

 genera can be more definitely determined after the developmental 

 history of the members is known. Faust (1929) placed the family 

 Brachycoeliidae in his superfamily Dicrocoelioidea along with the 

 families Dicrocoeliidae (Looss), Plagiorchidae Liihe, and Lissorchi- 

 dae Poche. Later, the same author (1932) added the family AUo- 

 creadiidae Stossich to the superfamily group. From a morphological 

 standpoint the superfamily Dicrocoelioidea is based on the type of 

 excretory system exhibited by the various individual family groups 

 and on the similarities in developmental phenomena. The excretory 

 system of the group is characterized by having a median, Y-shaped 

 bladder, the main stem of which is rather long and which gives rise 

 to two longer or shorter cornua anteriorly. The cornua in turn give 

 rise to the common collecting tubules which give rise to the 

 branches that form a basic pattern. The basic flame cell pattern, 

 2 [(1 + 1 + 1) + (1 + 1 + 1)], characteristic for the superfamily group, 

 becomes expanded in various ways to give rise to the definitive pat- 

 tern found in the separate families. In the family Brachycoeliidae 

 this basic pattern becomes expanded into the definitive pattern of 

 2 [(3+3 + 3) + (3 + 3 + 3)] and is known for the following members 

 of the family group: Glypthelmins calif orniensis (Cort, 1919), 

 Mesocoelium social e (Liihe, 1901) Sewell, 1920, and members of the 



