1868.] 



103 



[Wyman. 



near the two ends only loops of the oviduct are seen, and these no- 

 where connected with the walls. 



The male (Fig. 5, natural size), is only about one-half the linear 

 dimensions of the female, and the hinder portion of the body is always 

 more closely coiled (Fig. 6). The intestine has the same arrangement 

 as in the female. Near the hinder end of the body, and on the con- 

 cave side of the last half coil, is a papilla from which in one case we 

 saw the male organ protruded, having the form of a slightly recurved 

 spine. The base of this was buried beneath the surface, and in close 

 relation to the end of the spermatic tube. 



Eggs and Young. In almost every instance the oviducts were 

 largely distended with ova in different stages of development, and 

 with hatched young. The eggs are of an oval form, their long diam- 

 eter being about 0.02 millimeter. Those least advanced contained 

 simply granules (Fig. 7, a), and others had the embryo roughly 



sketched by the arrangement of the whole mass of granules in the 

 form of a coiled cylinder of uniform diameter throughout, slightly 

 rounded at the two ends, and invested with a thin membrane (Fig. 

 7, &). It is while in this stage that the embryo leaves the egg, and 

 vast numbers of them were seen without coverings, but still closely 

 coiled (Fig. 7, e, c'). As they descend towards the lower part of the 

 oviduct they begin to straighten themselves, and at the same time 

 undei'go a shght change of form (Fig. 7, d, e). As the body uncoils, 

 one end enlarges, and the whole tapers regularly towards the hinder 

 part, and forms an extremely elongated cone (Fig. 7, /). When 

 perfectly straight they measure about 0.15 millimetres in length. 

 We were unable to detect any internal organs, if such existed, at any 

 stage of development observed; but, on the contrary, saw nothing 

 but granules, filling the integuments as in the first formation of the 

 embryo. 



