292 



THE CEPHALOPODA. 



^255. 



eral aquiferous cells to the base of the branchiae, have, exteriorly, variously 

 ramified, glandular tufts which project into the aquiferous cells. <^' Some- 

 times similar appendages are found also upon the principal veins which 

 open, in these cells, into the venae cavae.'-' With Nautilus, which has 

 on each side in the peritoneum four venae cavae, each of these last extends 

 between two cells each of which receives a part of the glandular append- 

 ages with which it is provided.'^' 



These organs, for a long time known as the Spongy bodies, can now be 

 regarded positively as kidneys ; for, by chemical analysis, it has been 

 proved that they secrete uric acid.''*^ Careful examination of them has^ 

 shown that their parenchyma consists of a tissue of contractile fibres,'^' 

 among which are spread branches coming from the venae cavae. 



This parenchyma is surrounded by a structureless membrane, covered with 

 several layers of nucleated granular cells. The urine is secreted from the 

 external surface of this cellular layer ; it is of a dirty-yellcw color, and 

 escapes immediately into the peritoneal cavities, and thence is discharged 

 externally through their orifices, which may, therefore, be taken for ure- 

 thral canals. These spongy appendages of the veins ought, therefore, to 

 be regarded as everted glandular follicles, the secreting cells being situated 

 externally and the blood-vessels within.""^ Not unfrequently, the reddish 

 crystals formed in the urine, completely iucrust these glands, giving them 

 their peculiar color. ^'^' 



The so-called Branchial hearts of the Dibranchiata contain no trace of 

 muscular fibres, and appear to be in some way connected with the urinary 

 organs. They are round, hollow, thick-walled, and lie upon the course 

 of the venae cavae between the last renal masses of the branchiae, so that 

 the blood of these veins passes into their cavities and bathes their spongy 

 walls."*' Their color is violet with the Octopoda, and pale-yellow with the 



1 Cuvier, Mem. p. 18, PI. II. fig. 1, 3, PI. in. 

 fig. 1, X. X ; fVa^ner, Icon. zoot. Tab. XXIX. 

 fig. 14, q. q, 16 ; Delle Cliiaje, loc. cit. Tav. 

 LXXXVII. XCI. XCIII. XCIX. (17, 21, 23, 19) ; 

 Carus, Erlaüterungstafeln, lift. VI. Tab. II. tig. 15, 

 17 ; Mayer, Analekten, Taf. V. fig. 1, s. s. (^Octo- 

 pus) ; Grant, Transjict. of the Zool. Soc. 1. fl. II. 

 fig. 8, a. b, PI. XI. fig. 9, b. b. (^Loligopsis and 

 Sepiola) ; Fan Beneden, loc. cit. PI. ill. fig. 5, f. 

 f. l^Argonauta).* 



Ü Krohn, in Mailer's Arch. 1839, p. 355, and 

 Brandt, loc. cit. Taf. XXXII. fig. 2. x. 



3 Owen, On the Nautilus, p. 31, PI. V. No. 6, 

 PI. VI. fig. 1, No. 6, or Isis. p. 26, Taf. III. IV., or 

 Ann. d. Sc. Nat. p. 126, PI. III. fig. 1, 2 ; and Va- 

 lenciennes, loc. cit. p. 286, PI. X. fig. 2, n. 



4 These appendages have been successively re- 

 garded as absorbent vessels, a rudimental portal 

 Bystem, a spleen, accessory brancliiae, blood-reser- 

 voirs, genital oi-gans, &c. Mayer (Analekt. &c. 

 loc. cit. p. 54) was the first to regard them as uri- 

 nary organs, but this view was not commonly re- 

 ceived. The two peritoneal cavities containing 

 these organs, were also taken by him for urinary 

 bladders, an(l their orifices as urelhrae. The same 

 function has also been attributed to these organs 

 by Savi (Atti della terza riunioue degli scienziati 



tenuta nel Firenze, 1841, p. 396, or Isis, 18-13, p. 

 417). 



At my request, E. Harless, while at Trieste, sub- 

 jected these organs to a chemical analysis, and, a» 

 he obtained from their contents purpurate of Am- 

 monia, there can be no doubt that they are really 

 kidneys. 



5 The contractility observed in these appendages- 

 is due, without doubt, to this fibrous tissue (Krohn, 

 in Froriep's neue Notiz. XI. 1839, p. 214, and 

 Erdl, in Wiesinann''s Arch. 1843, p. 162). 



•i I am Indebted for this remarkable histological 

 fact to a recent communication from HarlessA 



7 I have often found in the kidneys of the Sepia 

 officinalis groups of rhomboidal crystals of a crim- 

 son red color. Krohn {Froriep's neue Notiz. XI. 

 !>. 215) has found them constantly with Sepia, but 

 has sought in vain for them with Octopus, sirnl 

 Loligo vulgaris. 



« The so-called branchial hearts, which are want- 

 ing with Nautilus, and which, ills supposed, pour 

 the blood Into the branchiae with the other Cephal- 

 ojjoda, are surrounded by a smooth peritoneal en- 

 velope, and have, internally, a cavernous aspect } 

 see Cuvier, Mem, PI. II. tig. 3, No. 9 (Octopus) ; 

 Carus, Erlaiiterungstaf. lift. VI. 1843, Tab. II. fig. 

 18'. (^Sepia). With the Loligina, a constriction sit- 



* [ § 255, note 1.] See also Milne Edwards, 

 R^gne anim. loc. cit. PI. I«, r. {Octopus). — Ed. 



t [ § 255, note 6.] For this communication in 

 full with figures of Harless, see Wiegmann^x Arch. 



1847, p. 1, Taf. I. His chemical as well as his his- 

 tologlcal ref.ults, can leave little doubt as to the Re- 

 nal nature jf these organs. — Ed. 



