No. 3-] LOXOSOMA DAVENPORT!. 369 



material or yolk, deposited in them for the purpose of supplying 

 nutriment to the developing embryo. 



The embryos fix themselves to this organ, and it is notice- 

 able that the cells immediately under the attached embryo are 

 always greatly reduced in height and have lost the characteris- 

 tics of the mammary epithehum (PI. XXXII, Fig. 7, emb.). It is 

 probable that the contents of such cells have been absorbed 

 by the embryo. Modifications of the atrium, for holding the 

 developing embryos and providing them with nourishment, occur 

 in several of the endoprocts. That most closely resembling the 

 condition in L. Davenporti has been described by Ehlers ('90) 

 for Ascopodaria. The epithelium lining portions of the atrium 

 on either side of the rectum become modified to form a layer 

 of high columnar secreting cells ; it also becomes folded to 

 form pouches {Briittaschcn) in which the developing embryos 

 are retained and nourished by the secretion of the glandular 

 lining. Just in front of the sexual aperture the modified 

 epithelium is raised up to form an irregular projection, the 

 Embryotrdger, to which the youngest embryos are found 

 attached. This structure corresponds with a partially de- 

 veloped mammary organ in L. Davenporti. In the latter 

 species, however, BriittascJien are not developed. A provision 

 for the nourishment of the embryo by means of the atrial epi- 

 thelium has also been mentioned by Harmer ('85) as occurring 

 in one of the species which he studied, but no structure resem- 

 bling the mammary organ of L. Davenporti has been described 

 as occurring in any species of Loxosoma. 



Budding. — Asexual reproduction in L. Davenporti takes 

 place by means of buds which arise from the anterior surface 

 of the body. They are found upon either side of the median 

 plane in the region of the ventral wall of the stomach. As 

 many as six buds upon each side may be present, representing 

 different stages of development, although the numbers more 

 commonly observed are but two, three, or four upon a side. 

 With the exception of L. Kefersteinii, no species has been 

 described as having so large a number of buds. 



New buds arise alternately upon opposite sides, as is shown 

 by the fact that no two buds borne by the same parent are of 



