398 WHITMAN. [Vol. IV. 



" Nach der Begattung tragen die Wiirmer meist in der Gegend des 

 26 Segments, selten am Giirtel, jederseits einen kleinen plattkolbenfor- 

 migen, ungefahr i'" langen Anhang, den sogenannten Penis. ... Er 

 ist anfangs vveich, wird aber allmahlig barter und besteht aus einer 

 hyalinen Substanz, in die am freien Ende ein Tropfchen Samenmasse 

 eingebettet ist. Er ist nachweisbar ein Product der Begattung und 

 besteht nach meiner Ansicht aus erharteiejn Schkime.''^ 



Leuckart (Bericht, 1854-55) remarks as follows: — 



" Referent hat an der vorderen Bauchseite der Regenwurmer zur 

 Brunstzeit nicht selten kleine spitidelfdrmige Gebilde angetroffen, die mit 

 Samenfaden gefiillt waren und wohl als Spermatophoren zu betrachten 

 sein diirften." 



Fraisse (Semper s Arbeiten, V, 1879) devoted a special paper 

 to the spermatophores of the earthworms, giving figures illus- 

 trating their form. Fraisse came to the conclusion that the 

 outer homogeneous envelope of the capsule is not formed in 

 the male efferent ducts, nor in the seminal vesicles, but proba- 

 bly by the glands associated with the sexual setae. Vejdovsky 

 finds the spermatophores attached sometimes in the interseg- 

 mental furrows, and considers this evidence against the glands 

 (" tubercula ") having any share in their formation. In opposi- 

 tion to Fraisse, Vejdovsky thinks it probable that the seminal 

 vesicles furnish the secretion which forms the envelope in 

 question. 



Vejdovsky concludes his account with some remarks about 

 the difficulty of understanding how the spermatozoa inclosed in 

 spermatophores can reach the eggs. The female genital pore 

 is located in the fourteenth somite, and the spermatophores 

 are usually placed in the twenty-seventh to thirtieth somites. 

 Furthermore, no external opening could be found in the sper- 

 matophore, by which the contents could escape. These facts 

 naturally suggest to me the possibility of the spermatophores 

 emptying themselves as they do in Clepsine. Such a possibility, 

 however, is not mentioned by Vejdovsky, who suggests that the 

 spermatozoa may be freed during the formation of the cocoon. 



The mode of attachment of the spermatophores appears to be 

 precisely the same as in Clepsine. 



" Uu-e Basis tvachst mit der Cuticula des Leibesschlauches zusammen 

 und ist von der letzteren iiberhati.pt nicht zu unterscheiden:' 



