761 



which can be found in transverse sections through a budding Microstoma 

 stock. 



Unfortunately in the specimens which I possess, there is no trace 

 of sexual organs, and on the analogy of such fresh water forms, which 

 bud, as Stenostoma and Microstoma amongst Turbellaria, and Aeolosoma 

 and Stylaria amongst Oligochaets , it would be natural to suppose that 

 the sexual forms only occur for a very short period during the later 

 summer months. 



As regards the finer details of the Histology of this form, the 

 preservation of the individuals which I possess is not too satisfactory, 

 particularly as regards the structure of the outermost layer of the 

 body wall. 



The body wall consists (fig. 4): 



a. a cuticle. 



b. a syncytial layer. 



c. a thin band of circular muscle fibres. 



d. strands of longitudinal muscle fibres. 



The cuticle stains rather readily with Haematoxylen and seems to 

 be composed of a series of parallel rods arranged with their long axes 







Fig. 4. Section through body wall and gut. 2 mm. X 6. Comp. Oc. 



vertical to the periphery. "Whether this ajjpearance is the optical ex- 

 pression of the apertures of a large number of mucous glands is still a 

 moot point. 



No trace of Cilia can be found and from the presence of an appen- 

 dage of Asellus in the gut of one form, I should feel inclined to hazard 

 the suggestion that the animal creeps about in the mud and devours 

 disintegrating Crustacea. 



The Syncytical layer contains a large number of more or less vesi- 



50 



