DIGESTIVE OEGANS. 75 



line from tlie posterior end of tlie oesophagus to the 

 commencement of the intestine. It is of even width 

 throughout. Externally it is provided with both 

 longitudinal and transverse muscles, which give it a 

 pretty, reticulated, appearance. The transverse series 

 is the most numerous, the spaces between the muscles 

 being something less than twice the width of the 

 muscles themselves. In some places they anastomose 

 frequently. This appeared to be more the case in 

 some specimens than in others. The distances be- 

 tween the transverse muscles are much larger. The 

 stomach contains, besides the food, a large number of 

 clear round cells containing smaller cells or vacuoles. 

 It is, moreover, often occupied by a number of Gre- 

 garinas. 



According to Nicolet, the Malpighian vessels are 

 probably six in number. He says, " Les vaisseaux 

 hepatiques, dont je n'ai pu an juste reconnaitre le 

 nombre, mais que je crois etre de six, sent tubuleux 

 et filiformes ou du memo diametre dans toute leur 

 longueur ; ils sont inseres immediatement au-dessus du 

 retrecissement pylorique; leur longueur egale a peine 

 la moitie de celle du ventricule chylifere; du reste, 

 leur extreme tenuite et leur pen de consistance ne 

 m'ont pas permis de les etudier en detail." Yon 

 Olfers also describes them as " filiformia, tenerrima;" 

 but he only saw four. When the Malpighian vessels 

 are very numerous, it is naturally difficult to count 

 them ; but as they are in this group so few, Nicolet 

 can certainly not have seen them vory distinctly when 

 he remained in doubt as to the number. 



For my own part I have examined Orchesella fastuosa, 

 the species in which they are figured by Von Olfers, 

 as well as Tomocerus i^lumbeus, Smyntliurus, and other 

 species, but have never been able to satisfy myself 

 that any such organs really exist. They are, moreover, 

 wanting in L. maritima according to Laboulbene.^ 



The intestine has, in Tomocerus, a length of about 

 ' * Ann. Soc. Ent. France,' 1864, p. 715. 



