ON MEGASCOLEX C(ERULE(JS. 63 



I merely describe here what occurs in Megascolex^ without any 

 further detailed discussion of their views.^ The main trunks 

 of the anterior pair of intestino-tegumentary vessels run from 

 the sides of the pharynx, lie freely in the body-cavity in the 

 region of the gizzard, and then gradually take up a more 

 ventral position, passing to the inside of the hearts, without 

 being connected with them, till they become adherent to the 

 ventral wall of the oesophageal (calciferous) glands.^ The 

 anterior extremity of each is connected with a network of 

 capillaries on the pharyngeal wall. This network is connected 

 with the network into which the most anterior branches of the 

 dorsal and ventral vessels break up in this region (fig. 8). 

 Passing backwards they are joined by various branches in the 

 regions of the septa. An inspection of figs. 4 and 8 will show 

 that these branches are segraentally arranged, and are con- 

 nected with capillary networks on the septa and in the body- 

 wall, which communicate on the one hand with either the 

 ventro-tegumentary vessels or with branches of the most 

 anterior heart, and so also with the ventral vessel. One 

 specially large branch, which has also connections with the 

 hearts of segments vi, vii, and viii, communicates with a 

 special network on the gizzard; another with the networks 

 which are also connected with the four most anterior pairs of 

 ventro-tegumentary vessels, and so on (see fig. 4). In seg- 

 ments X to XIII, i. e. those segments in which occur the four 

 large oesophageal glands, the arrangement is somewhat dif- 

 ferent, and is almost exactly repeated in each of these seg- 

 ments. One branch is connected with the peripheral capillary 

 networks, and two or three branches are connected with the 



Lumbricus. In the absence of specimens of that genus I am unable to discuss 

 tills fact, nor its bearing upon my theory as to the course of the blood. 



* It will be seen how little my account differs from that of Perrier, whose 

 memoirs on Urochseta and Poutodrilus are most masterly pieces of work, 

 and to whom I here express my many obligations. 



^ In fig. 4 this vessel is shown as lying at some distance below these 

 glands. The drawing is diagrammatic to better elucidate the relations of the 

 branches of this vessel. 



