106 



that it may essentially conduce to the prolongation and 

 enjoyment of a life so zealously devoted to science. 



Dr. Burnett made some statements with regard to the 

 male sexual organs of Spiders. 



He observed that the complicated structure of the palpi of 

 some spiders, (especially Tegenaria and Agelena,) together with 

 the fact, that they were sometimes seen applied to the vulva of 

 the female, has led many Entomologists to think that the penis 

 was situated here. 



After a careful examination of the matter microscopically, he 

 had come to the following conclusions, namely, — 



1st. That the testes are situated at the upper portion of the 

 abdomen, in a position analogous to that of the ovaria in females, 

 and that they open externally, beneath, near the thorax. 



2nd. That the horny process in the palpi of Agelena ncsvia, 

 has a canal throughout its entire length, and a capsule at the 

 base, which is filled with peculiar corpuscles, and in which, (the 

 capsule,) Spermatozoa have not been detected. 



3d. That there are tubes in the abdomen filled with corpuscles 

 looking exactly like those found in the capsule of the palpus ; but 

 that they are not testes is evident from the fact, that they con- 

 tain only these corpuscles ; no Spermatozoa ever being found in 

 them as far as observation yet goes. 



4th. That there is no direct communication between the testes 

 or any abdominal organ and the palpi. 



5th. That the fact, that these peculiar organs are found only 

 in the male, and in the foregoing relations, leads to the inference 

 that they are excitatory rather than true intromittent parts. 



Dr. Burnett proposed to continue his investigations 

 throughout the family of Spiders. 



Prof. Wyman said, that he had been making some expe- 

 riments with a view to ascertain the cause of the sudden 

 bursting and scattering of the seeds of the capsule of the 

 common Garden Balsam. 



The seed capsule of this plant is found, under the microscope, 

 to consist of two layers of cells, the inner of which is arranged 



