HELIX ASPERSA. 239 
The REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM is constituted by the OVOTESTIS, an aggregation of 
digitate whitish lobules lodged in the posterior lobe of the liver near the apex of 
the shell ; the HERMAPHRODITE DUCT, 
a sinuous convoluted tube, expanded 
in the middle of its course, but gradu- 
ally contracting on approaching the 
large linguiform and yellowish ALBU- 
MEN GLAND, and bending abruptly on 
itself, forms a subclavate sa¢é, the 
VESICULA SEMINALIS or claw ; within 
the albumen gland the ova become 
enveloped in its viscid secretion ; the 
OVA and the SPERMATOZOA are then 
mechanically divided and flow in 
separate but closely apposed channels ; 
the UTERUS is of a clear bluish-white 
colour, with strongly saceulate and 
voluminous glandular folds, but the 
walls of the PROSTATE or sperm duct 
are constituted of an aggregation of 
ochreous-white follicles. Aftera short 
conjoined course, the two channels 
separate, the sacculate uterus becomes 
the straight and thick-walled FREE 
ovipuCcT, while the SPERM DUCT 
becomes a_ slender tube, the VAS 
DEFERENS, and conveys the seminal 
fluid to the male organ, passing in 
its course beneath the right tentacular 
retractor, and being buried in the 
tissues of the body-wall for a short 
distance before joining the distal end 
of the EPIPHALLUS; the PENIS SHEATH 
is a stout, bluish-white, and somewhat 
iuseular tube, opening into the com- 
mon vestibule or ATRIUM, close to the 
external aperture, which is beneath 
the right OMMATOPHORE, and whose 
Fic. 310.—Reproductive organs of Helix aspersa, 
dissected out and isolated. The penis sheath, stylo- 
phore, uterus, atrium, and vagina opened up—the 
penis sheath to show the intromittent organ ; the 
stylophore, the contained dart ; and the uterus its 
sacculate structure. 
alé.g/, albumen gland ; d. dart zm siti ; d.s. dart 
sac or stylophore; ef. epiphallus; /7. flagellum ; 
A.d. hermaphrodite duct; 7z.g¢2. mucus glands ; ot. 
ovotestis or hermaphrodite gland; /. penis; #.5. 
penis sheath; #7. prostate or sperm duct; 7 
retractor muscle of penis sheath ; sf. spermatheca ; 
sp.a4. spermatheca duct with thick cecal diverticu- 
lum; ov. uterine portion of oviduct ; v.d. vas 
deferens ; v.s. seminal vesicle or claw. 
retractor muscle passes between and 
separates the male and female organs ; 
the penis sheath is continued distally 
as an epiphallus, and extends beyond 
as a long and exceedingly slender FLAGELLUM, within the lumen of which the 
SPERMATOPHORE, a peculiar filament of characteristic shape, formed of agglutin- 
ated spermatozoa, is secreted, and which was apparently mistaken by Draparnaud 
for the love-dart ; the SPERMATHECA is a red-brown glandular vesicle, fixed 
by its neck to the distal end of the OVISPERMATODUCT, and also complicated 
by the attachment of a muscle from Le 
the COLUMELLAR RETRACTOR; the ae 
vesicle is carried on a long stem which = 
opens into the FREE OVIDUCT, and = ah er 
va S 4) ae 
J. ray 
about midway gives off a long cecal 
Fic. 311.—Spermatophore of Helix aspersa, with 
diverticulum, which is fixed termin- 
ally at the base of the albumen gland, 
and within which is lodged the more highly enlarged sections, showing the structure 
spermatophore received from the of the anterior and posterior portions (modified after 
partner during congress. The paired Moguin-Eandon): 
MUCUS GLANDs or multifid vesicles are placed above the dart-sac or stylophore, and 
each is constituted on the average by about twenty-five tassel-like tubular glands. 
The large pyriform muscular STYLOPHORE or dart-sac is immediately beneath 
the mucus glands, and opens into the vagina slightly above the vestibule; it is 
formed of two chief layers, a thick translucent greyish-white outer coat, composed 
of annular and longitudinal muscle-fibres and a thinner and more vascular inner 
layer; the less muscular distal end bears a small sub-conical tubercle, with some 
closely apposed longitudinal rods at its sides, which are points of attachment for 
the base of the gypsobelum or love-dart, whose point is directed towards the aperture. 
