ON MEGASCOLEX CGERULEUS. 59 



In the post-typhlosolar region the intestinal wall becomes 

 much thicker. In the hinder portion of the typhlosolar region 

 lie the remarkable " kidney-shaped glands/^ I find twenty- 

 two pairs of these glands, a pair in each segment from cxii to 

 cxxxiii. Beddard describes only fifteen pairs, lying in seg- 

 ments Lxxxvi to CI (''or thereabouts"). With regard to 

 structure I can confirm in every particular Beddard's account. 

 In my sections these glands present very much the appearance 

 which Beddard figures, and each undoubtedly opens into the 

 intestine. When the intestine is opened and its dorsal wall 

 examined from the inside, the two rows of apertures are per- 

 fectly clearly seen. The glands in the middle of the series 

 are the largest, and they get smaller and smaller at either end 

 of the series. As I have stated elsewhere (circulatory system), 

 the typhlosole, the anterior dorsal intestinal vessel, and the 

 series of kidney-shaped glands all cease to exist at about the 

 same spot. 



I am unable to throw any further light upon the function 

 of these glands. 



I give no account of the histology of any portion of the ali- 

 mentary tract. We still want information as to the histology 

 of the alimentary canal in earthworms, but it should be in the 

 form of a comparative account dealing with a series of typical 

 genera. 



Vascular System. 



It will be convenient to describe firstly the blood-vessels, 

 and secondly the probable course of the blood-flow. 



The red blood difi'ers in no way from that fluid in other 

 worms. 



Tlie Blood-vessels. 



Dorsal Vessel (figs. 5 to 11, d.v.). — The dorsal vessel 

 extends from the anterior portion of the pharynx to the last 

 segment of the body. It lies above the alimentary canal, but 

 is not adherent to the wall of the latter in any portion of its 



