Art. VIII. — Note from the Biological Laboratory of the 

 University of Melbourne, on the presence of Corpuscles 

 in the Liquid discharged from the Apertures qf the 

 Nephriclia and Oral Papillce of Perip)atus. 



By Arthur Dendy, M. Sc, F.L.S. 



[Read June 12, 1890.] 



Eecently, while staying with Mr. H. R. Hogg at Upper 

 Macedon, I obtained about a dozen living specimens of 

 Peripat'us, both the Australian species, leuckartii and 

 insignis, being represented. The specimens were required 

 by me for anatomical and jiistological research, and were 

 brought alive to the Biological Laboratory. Not having 

 time to continue my observations at once, I endeavoui-ed to 

 discover the most satisfactory method of killing and preserv- 

 ing the animals for future use. I found that death could be 

 caused instantaneously by holding the animal over chloro- 

 form contained in a bottle, without allowing it to come in 

 contact with the liquid. In animals thus killed, I noticed at 

 once a number of drops of a clear transparent liquid which 

 made their appearance at the bases of the legs, in the position 

 of the nephridial apertures, and gradually increased in size. 

 It occurred to me to examine some of this liquid (taken 

 from F. leuckartii) microscopically, and on so doing, I was 

 surprised to find that it contained very numerous small 

 amoeboid corpuscles, resembling the white corpuscles of 

 human blood, but perhaps a little more irregular in shape. 

 These corpuscles measured not quite 001 5 mm. in diameter ; 

 some had numerous, short, slender pseudopodia protruding, 

 some broader ones, and some exhibited a distinct nucleus. 

 The liquid could only be obtained in small quantities, and 

 soon dried up under examination ; and, as I had killed nearly 

 all my specimens and placed them in spirits before I began 



