I9I4-1 V '^^ Kemp : Onychophora. 485 



other branch, the receptacula ovorum and seminis being situated^ 

 however, (in all the specimens examined) somewhat further for- 

 wards; in the individual figured they lie between the legs of the 

 fourteenth pair. From this point onwards the uteri may be twist- 

 ed together or more or less straight and soon exhibit large 

 swellings through the thin walls of which developing embryos are 

 visible. In the specimen figured (fig. i) the coils of the uteri 

 reach to the eleventh legs before turning backwards ; in other ex- 

 amples they extend further, as far as the ninth or tenth pairs. 

 The uteri are in all cas?s almost filled with developing embryos 

 and are so closely coiied together that I have found it impossible 

 to dissect them out in a satisfactory manner. At the posterior 

 end of the body the uterus of each side passes round the nerve 

 cord'; the two join together in an extremely short vagina and 

 o])en on the ventral surface between the penultimate legs. 



Transverse sections show that the ovary bears a close resem- 

 blance to that of Foperipatus. The walls are very deeply folded 

 and bear follicles containing ova in various stages of def/elopment 

 as in the species described b}'- Evans. The right and left ovaries 

 are completely fused and enclose a single large cavity. 



The walls of the oviduct are, in structure, closely similar to 

 those of the ovary ; they do not seem to possess a muscular layer 

 either in the unpaired portion or when they first separate. The 

 walls are thickened, with a consequent reduction in the size of the 

 lumen, shortly before the receptaculum ovorum is reached and in 

 this region a narrow muscular layer is visible Beyond this 

 point the ducts may more properly l^e termed uteri ; the muscular 

 layer becomes thicker and the cells of the inmost layer are very 

 deep and apparently take on a glandular function. 



The receptacula ovorum. except for the fact that they are 

 situated at a considerable distance from the ovary, resemble those 

 of Eoperipatus. They have the form of small pouches in the wall 

 of the oviduct and are found a little behind the receptacula semi- 

 nis. They are, indeed, so inconspicuous that I was at first inclined 

 to regard them as accidental, due to some injury or malformation 

 of the specimen. The fact that they occur in all the specimens 

 examined proves, however, that this is not the case. As in 

 Eoperipatus there is great doubt if they ever perform the function 

 implied by their name ; no eggs have been found in them and 

 their development, compared with that found in the neotropical 

 species, is insignificant. 



The receptacula seminis are of normal structure and are com- 

 pletely filled with spermatozoa The two ducts, which each pos- 

 sesses, are applied to the wall of the vesicle and open close together 

 into the oviduct. 



The female reproductive organs are, on the whole, closely 

 comparable to those of Eoperipatus; in the complete fusion of the 



I In all specimens examined. 



