Fluke Parasitic in the Copper-head Snake. 43 



Reproductive System. — This is rather complicated, as is 

 usual in hermaphrodite animals. 



31ale Organs. — The testes are two roundish, or oval, 

 conspicuous, compact, sac-like bodies, on the right and left 

 sides of the body, each inside and slightly anterior to the 

 club-shaped termination of the intestine. Leading from each 

 is a vas deferens, both of which pass close together on one 

 side of the ventral sucker, and immediately in front of it 

 merge into the vesicula seminalis. This is an elongated 

 body, extending in an oblique direction, nearly to the hinder 

 part of the oral sucker, where it terminates in a relatively 

 large transversely oval opening. Sometimes the anterior end 

 is protruded, and a glairy-looking mass discharged from the 

 mouth which sticks together. 



Female Organs. — These organs collectively form the most 

 prominent feature in the body. The ovary is situated 

 behind the ventral sucker, and the uterus filled with its ova 

 having reddish-brown shell-cases, gives its colour to the bulk 

 of the bod}^ About two-thirds of the length of the body 

 is occupied by it, and it opens at the anterior end just behind 

 the oral sucker, and alongside the termination of the vesicula 

 seminalis. The yolk-glands form numerous dark-grey 

 clusters on either side of the body, extending from a little in 

 front of the ventral sucker to near the posterior end of the 

 body. Their numerous branching ducts unite to form a 

 main duct on either side, and there unite in the middle line. 

 The shell-gland from which the uterus arises, is situated a 

 short distance behind the ventral sucker in the median line. 

 It is a globular glandular mass. The ova are of an elongated 

 oval shape, and the shell opens by a lid. 



Details will be given in a future communication. 



