THE CrELOMTC FLUID IN ACANTHODRILIDS. 583 



as in the fluid. However, it is not an easy matter to explore 

 a fluid thick with finely comrninnted dirt, and I do not think 

 any conclusion can be drawn from the apparent fewness of 

 the linocytes here. 



Comparison of the Cells with those of other 

 Oligochaetes. 



In his monograph Beddard gives but little information 

 as to the formed constituents of the coelomic fluid. On p. 26 

 he states that "in the higher Oligoch^ta" the corpuscles are 

 ' apparently of two kinds:" viz. amoeboid cells, and large 

 spherical cells loaded Avith granules; these "are probably 

 merely stages in growth." 



On p. 27 he says, "among earthworms there is generally 

 not such a great abundance of corpuscles" (as in the Naiads 

 and Enchytraeids), but he mentions the milky-white appeai-- 

 ance of certain Eudrilids as being due to the great abundance 

 of cells. 



Beddard himself, in studying the development of Octo- 

 cliastus multiporus, observed a large quantity' of cor- 

 puscles ; for in the later stages the coelom " was nlmost com- 

 pletely filled with granular corpuscles (i.e. lamprocy tes), which 

 represent a further development of the small non-granular 

 cells" (i.e. araa3bocytes) (2, p. 509). In his monograph he 

 considers this fact " related to rapid growth and excretion ; " 

 but it is curious that in his various studies on the anatomy of 

 the adult, his attention had not been attracted to the flaky, 

 white substance that in preserved specimens fills the coelom ; 

 but even if it had been examined, it is improbable that much 

 additional information could have been derived from it. 



Since Kiikenthal's account of the "lymphoid cells" of 

 Annelids, the most detailed description of the coelomic 

 corpuscles is contained in Rosa's memoir, to which reference 

 has already been made. He finds in most of the species of 

 Lumbricids three kinds of cells — amoebocytes, eleocytes, 

 and " vacuolated lymphocytes." 



