730 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



secreting glands, of wliich one (septal glands) open into the protru- 

 siblc pharynx, and tlie other (salivary glands) at the base of this organ 

 and into tho a3sophagus. 



The pharynx of these worms forms a protrusiblo prehensile appa- 

 ratus provided with a complex system of muscles ; the buccal lobes in 

 connection with it appear to be gitstatory organs. 



In describing their "lateral line" or "lateral cords," the author 

 points out that in the terminal segment there are a number of uni- 

 polar or multipolar cells, which extend along the sides of the body 

 between the glands of the sette and the ventral cord, giving off, in their 

 course, lateral branches to the setal glands, the dissepiments, and the 

 generative organs ; the greatest number of ramifications is to be found 

 in the genital and cephalic segments. The author comes to the 

 conclusion that these cords are to be regarded as true sympathetic 

 nerves, and ho would apply the name of " N. vagus " to the branches 

 which are given off from the oesophageal commissures. 



The " jaws " found in the buccal cavity of Branchiohdella are 

 regarded as the homologues of the gustatory organs of Anaclmta, 

 while tho " follicular" structure of the nervous system of the former 

 may be made out also in the latter. The anatomical characters of 

 Branchiohdella lead the author to form for it a special family of the 

 Oligochceta, under the name of Discodrilida, most nearly allied to tho 

 CImfogastrida. 



Spermatophores of the Earth-worm.* — Dr. Paul Fraisse makes 

 some observations on the small conical appendages which at the 

 period of reproduction are to bo noticed on the neural aspect of most 

 of the Lumbriciua ; called " penes," or " appendiculre generatrices," 

 by the earliest observers, they were regarded (in 1849) by Fritz 

 Miiller as spermatoiihores ; but this view has been either neglected or, 

 as by Hering, expressly rejected. 



In Lumhricus agricola Fraisse describes these bodies as forming 

 flattened and somewhat spirally-coiled structures, from 1^ to 2 mm. 

 in length, and from 0'5 to 0*7 mm. in breadth ; at their " superior " 

 end, in a small cavity, there was found a drop of sperm ; the cavity 

 was so arranged as to allow the contents easily to pass out on 

 pressure ; and the bodies, which were ordinarily arranged in pairs, 

 were attached to the twenty-third to twenty-seventh segments of the 

 worm. It is unnecessary for us to follow the author through his 

 descriptions of similar structures in L. communis, L. riparius, or 

 L. olidus : in all cases they were, just after copulation, found to be 

 soft, and they only gradually hardened when exposed to the air; 

 they are always attached to the cuticle in the neighbourhood of the 

 generative organs, and it is not difficult to get them oil". They icere 

 not found before cojmlation ; the spermatozoa, ,when expressed, 

 exhibited lively movements. 



The question now arises, where are these spermatophores 

 developed? Great difficulties stand in the way of framing an 

 answer ; not only are the generative organs greatly complicated, but 



* Scmpcr's ' Arbeitcii,' v. (1870) p. 38. 



