^349. 



THE INSECTA. 



449 



appears, while the spermatic particles thus formed remain together for 

 some time and finally are united in fasciculi of variable forms.'"' 



With many species, these bundles are disposed one after another, and 

 then united forming long, vermicular bodies."'-' Only gradually, as the 

 sperm mass passes along the deferent canals, are the spermatic particles 

 separated to unite again under new and remarkable forms. These laf^t 

 consist of long, penniform bodies, having very singular movements, for 

 their free extremities oscillate to and fro without cessation. '^'^^ A kind of 

 sperraatophore is also observed in the female organs of many specie.; 

 belonging to the Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Coleoptera. It consists of a 

 peculiar hollow body, usually somewhat pedunculate, with pretty solid 

 albumen-like walls, and filled with spermatic particles."^' 



I. Female Genital Organs. 



§ 349. 



The two Ovaries are always composed of a larger or smaller number of 

 tubes, whose free extremities are extremely small, but which gradually 

 increase in size to their point of insertion on the oviducts. From their 

 caecal terminations is prolonged a delicate thread, which, hound together 

 with the others, serves to attach the two ovaries to the thorax. ''* The 



11 For the spermatic particles of the Insecta and 

 their develupment, see my memoir in Mu/ler's Arch. 

 1836, p. 30 ; and Kol/iker, in the Neue schweiz. 

 Denkschrift. VIII. p. 2-1.* 



1- See my memoir in Miiller's Arch. loo. cit. p. 

 38, Taf. III., fig. 16-18 {Pontia). These vermiform 

 bundles are observed not only with all the Lepidop- 

 tera, but also with certain Diptera and Coleoptera ; 

 see Lnew, Horae anatom. lift. 1, 1841, p. 26, Taf. 

 II. (Scatopse), and Hammerschmidi, Isis, 1838, 

 p. 358, Taf. IV. {Cleonus and various Lepidop- 

 tera). This last mentioned naturalist has, however, 

 taken these cords for gigantic spermatic particles, 

 to which he has given the name of Pagiura, Spiri- 

 lura and Cincinnura. 



I'i I have discovered these penniform bodies 

 composed of spermatic particles in the Receptacu- 

 lum xeminis oi Locusta and Decticus ; see Nov. 

 Act. Nat. Cur. XXI. 1U5, p. 251, Tab. XIV. XV. 

 Dujardin (Observ. au Microscop. 1842, PI. XI. 

 fig. 18, 19) had already perceived similar bodies in 

 the male organs of Tettigonia plebeja and Spho- 

 drus terricola. Stein (Vergl. Anat. &c. p. 106, 

 Taf. I. fig. 19 (JLiOricera)) has also found them in 

 the seminal receptacles of the females of various 

 Caiabidae. 



li Pyriform, short-peduncnlated spermatophores 

 are found in the Receptaculum seminis of the 



* [ § 348, note 11.] The spermatic particles of 

 the Insecta are described above, as well also by 

 fVagner and Leuckart (loc. cit. Cyclop. Anat. and 

 Phys.), as being invariably filiform. This is incor- 

 rect : it is true they are generally so ; as, for 

 instance, with all the Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, 

 Diptera, Aptera, Ilemiptera ; but with some fami- 

 lies of the oUier orders (the Hymenoptera, Neurop- 

 tera and Orthoptera) their form is quite different, 

 and I am only surprised that it has not before been 

 noticed. Thus, with the Libellulidae, Ephemeri- 



38* 



fecundated females of Locnsta and Decticus (see 

 mv memoir in the Nov. .4.ct. Nat. Cur. loc. cit. p. 

 26"2, Tab. XVI. fig. 14, 15), while those observed 

 in the Bursa copulatrix of many Lepidoptera are 

 round and long-pedunculated. With the Coleop- 

 tera, spermatophores are often found, also, in the 

 copulatory pouch of the fecundated females. Their 

 forms vary considerably, and I may mention 

 specially those of Clivina fo.isor, which are elon- 

 gate and remarkable for their very long and twisted 

 peduncle ; see Stein, loc. cit. p. 91, Taf. I. VII. 

 VIII. The older entomologists took these sperm- 

 atophores for the penis which was detached in the 

 copulatory act — an opinion which I myself for- 

 mei-ly entertained (Mailer's Arch. 1837, p. 399, 

 419) ; but, since, I have learned the true nature of 

 these i)odies, and the rectification of this error, 

 made by Stein (loc. cit. p. 86), is perfectly correct. 

 1 For the different dispositions of these tubes, see 

 J. Muller, Nov. Act. Nat. Cur. XII. p. 585; 

 Burmeister, Ilandb. I. p. 199; and Lacordaire, 

 Introduct. &c. II. p. 329. The ovaries of the 

 Strepsiptera are organizeii after a wholly different 

 type. The simplicity of the female organs here is 

 very remarkable, and in this respect they hold an 

 exceptional position. The two ovaries are, at first, 

 two long bodies, composed of innumerable germs. 

 When these last have matured, they are disengaged 



dae, Andrenidae, Vespidae, &c., these particles 

 have the form of those of the Araneae — an arcuate 

 staff, to which is attache<l a delicate tail ; while, 

 with the Phasmidae, they consist of a spoon-shaped 

 head with a very conspicuous tail — indeed, quite 

 resembling those of many of the Rodentia. It is 

 scarcely necessary to add that in this class these 

 particles are, as is the case with all the other classes 

 of animals, developed in special cells. The whole 

 subject is deeply interesting, in both a histological 

 as well as a zoological point of view. — Ed. 



