434 J- H- KlM>ARTON, 



Fig. 9 V. s., the course of tlie canal inwards from the great outer 

 tiilatation can be traced by the presence of spermatozoa along its 

 course. When no sperms are in the inner part of the canal, it col- 

 lapses so as to be almost indistinguishable. Where the seminal 

 vesicles are present, I was unable to see either the large rosette-like 

 or the smaller opening of the nephridia, other than the two openings 

 of the seminal vesicles. Carpenter & Claparf:de describe two open- 

 ings in their ovoidal sac and also figure (tab. 7, fig. 3) a large rosette- 

 like opening as coexisting alongside of their "ovoidal body". The 

 smaller opening of the "ovoidal body", I believe with them , corre- 

 sponds to the smaller rosette-like opening seen in anterior segments, 

 but I am unable to confirm the presence of both the inner opening 

 and the large rosette-like opening in the same segment, and I cannot 

 but think that the inner opening, which they only occasionally saw, 

 may have been due to the pressure which they say they exercised in 

 order to cause the sperms to be discharged from the outer opening. 



In reference to the interpretations which different observers have 

 placed on the parts, which I have called testes and seminal vesicles 

 respectively, the views of Carpenter & Claparîîde, of Vejdovsky 

 and of Greeff must be noticed. The seminal vesicles correspond 

 with the testes of Carpenter & Claparè:de and of Greeff, and with 

 the "Samenklumpen" of Vejdovsky. These observers apparently did 

 not study the male organs by means of sections, indeed, the first was 

 not able to preserve his specimens, and neither Vejdovsky nor Greeff 

 seems to have made sections of the genital organs, although Vejdovsky 

 isolated a "Samenleiter". In coming to my results I was aided as 

 much by sections as by the living animal or animals mounted whole. 



The seminal vesicle is really an efferent seminal duct, which may 

 act as a storehouse for spermatozoa, till they are required for the 

 fertilisation of the ripe ova, and I agree with Vejdovsky that the 

 efferent ducts are merely nephridia modified for a generative function, 

 as is the case in many Annelids. This view is supported by what is 

 seen in the appendages in front. In these the nephridia arc plainly 

 visible, occupying a position in the anterior angle where the para- 

 podia spring from the body, while, when the parapodia become sub- 

 ventral, nephridial openings other than the orifices of the seminal 

 vesicles are not seen nor are they met with in sections of the caudal 

 prolongation. Moreover, the seminal vesicles occupy a corresponding 

 l)osition to that of the anterior nephridia, and Vejdovsky's figure 

 (tab. 6, fig. 7) of an isolated seminal duct is corroborative. 



