316 J- Beard 



grow to a larger size and become bermaphrodites ! lu tbe absence 

 of direct proof on eitber side, tbe problem must be solved in tbe 

 only way open, i. e., by tbe results of an examination of a number 

 of tbe largest speeimens obtainable. Tbis is wbat from the start 

 I bave eonscientiously endeavoured to carry out. 



But »all tbe cbaracters, in wbicb tbe so-called complemental 



males of M. glabrum^ dififer from tbe bermapbrodites« are 



empbaticalJy not »simply tbe cbaracters of younger individuals« etc. 



Tbe dorsicolous forms, owing to tbe immense development of 

 male organs, are mucb plumper externally tban disc-forms of like 

 size, and, moreover, tbey bave tbe dorsal Peritoneum cou- 

 verted into sperm-mother-cells in tbose parts, wbicb in 

 bermapbrodites give rise to eggs. (Vide figs. 11, 12, 13.) 



Paragraph 4 was ])reviously considered. As to paragrapb 5, I cau 

 assure Wheeler, tbat it is not correct to say, tbat »Beard bas spent 

 no time in looking for those bermaphrodites, wbicb bave fewer tban 

 93 sections«. I possess one disc-form, wbicb is as small as Wheelers 

 smallest dorsicolous specimen, i. e. ratber under 0,2 mm; but as sexual 

 Organs are undeveloped , I bave not used it. Tbat tbe other stages 

 are wanting in my series is explained by tbe circumstance, tbat I 

 never searcbed for them in Naples, and, later on, bad to be content 

 witb the material previousl}" collected. 



But I fail to see wbat new facts tbey could bave revealed; for 

 Nos. 1—4 of table 2 (disc-forms) whose sizes are from 0.7 to 0.73 mm 

 show wbat must be tbe very earliest stages of female organs, or ratber, 

 of eggs (figs. 1, 2 and 3). Tbat in earlier stages tbe disc-forms are 

 functionally male is admitted, but it bas uo bearings on tbe question 

 at issue. Certainly, as Wheeler states, tbe bermapbrodites of sizes 

 smaller tban 0.73 mm are in tbe protandric state, but not as dorsi- 

 colous forms on tbe larger speeimens. 



I coufess it is difficult to understand tbe drift of tbe followiug. 

 Wheeler remarks ;pag. 266) witb reference to my table (in 2) showing 

 tbat tbe bermaphrodites are far more abundant tban the males, »if 

 tbis be tbe case — and a^ain I do not doubt tbe fact — w^e sbould 



1 I bave omitted bere »and allied species«, not feeling directly concerned 

 witb these, but it may be noted tbat Wheeler himself seems to »quietly 

 ignora« von Graff's statement, tbat in the cysticolous forms »the two sexes 

 are unlike in appearance, the female being usually 50 — 100 times as large as 

 tbe male«. 



