266 SCLEROSTOMA STRUTHIONIS. 



nished with two broad wings, transversely striated, atte- 

 nuating towards both extremities and rolled towards each 

 other at the ventral side , like in Filaria attenuata R. ^) ; 

 their colour is brown , except in the inferior half of the 

 wings. The spicules are held together by a short, tubular 

 piece of chitine, splitted at one side like a penn-holder; 

 it lies at a short distance above the cloacal opening. 



As regards the reproductive organs of the female , they are 

 remarkably long, exceeding the body in length several 

 times. The ovarian tubes are frequently coiled upon them- 

 selves and around the intestinal canal ; though lying with 

 their largest part in the anterior half of the body, they 

 are extending with a loop to a short distance from the 

 tail, about '/g of the body-length. The oviduct is a cylin- 

 drical tube , downwards gradually increasing in width , 

 and densely filled up with several rows of ova ; before pass- 

 ing into the uterus the oviduct however suddenly becomes 

 narrowed, its diameter measuring only ^/s of the preceeding 

 part and the ova therefore can only pass through this 

 duct in a single row. This inferior, slender part of the 

 oviduct was indicated by Meissner with the name of Ei- 

 weissschlauch, because it was supposed by him to have 

 the function of secreting albumen ; since this suggestion is 

 rejected by different authors ^) , it seems to me more 

 probable that the meaning of this duct is to assure 

 better the impregnation of the eggs , if they are en- 

 tering one by one into the uterus. For I find the upper 

 slender part of the uterus constantly densely filled up with 

 spermatozoa , and no doubt this is the very place of im- 

 pregnation, which could be rightly indicated with Leuc- 

 kart's •'') name of »poche cop ulatrice"; however this 

 part is by no means separated from the middle , broader 



1) Schneider, I.e., Fl. XXII, fig. 3. 



2) E. van Beneden , I'Appareil sexual femelle de VJscaricle mégalocéphale , 

 Archives de Biologie, T. IV, p. 98. 



3) V. Beneden, 1. c. p. 102. 



Notes from the Leyden Mixseum, Vol. "VII. 



