336 CHESSWELL SHEAREK. 



oogonial cells. By the time tlie oticytes reach the middle of 

 the generative region they turn dark brown in colour. In a 

 few days they increase greatly in size. Their outline becomes 

 regular, and the superficial layer of their cytoplasm seems to 

 stain much more intensely than the deeper portion. Their 

 nuclei become large, round, and transparent, and ai-e readily 

 distinguishable in the living animal. 'J'here appears to be no 

 yolk-nucleus present, but the germinal nucleus goes through 

 a number of changes during the formation of the deutoplasm, 

 that probably has to do with the great elaboration of this 

 material. 



The mature eggs are found in the posterior region, where 

 they take up the greater part of the ovarian chamber. They 

 measui-e from 80-200/« in their longest diameter, according to 

 the size of the female. They are oval in shape and somewhat 

 flattened. They are highlv granular, the granules being very 

 uniform in size. 



Unlike Stratiodrilus, there may be a number of ripe 

 eggs within the chamber at one time, although one usually 

 predominates in size over the others. In the violent move- 

 ments of the animal small fragments of the egg are some- 

 times broken off by compression against the gut, or from 

 fi"iction against the other eggs of the cavity. These are seen 

 to move about the cavity quite freely, and, by some peculiar 

 cohesive process, are capable of joining up Avith the egg 

 again. This can be seen taking place under the microscope. 

 The fragments have a membrane of their own, and may be 

 seen lying against the egg from which they have separated. 

 The membrane between them breaks down, and the}- flow 

 together rapidly. 



Normally the ripe ovum is almost divided in two portions 

 by its compression against the gut. When a ripe ovum is 

 discharged its place is immediately taken b}- the next in size. 

 I have never actually observed the female in the act of 

 depositing her eggs; as I have mentioned, this takes place 

 usually at night. From the fact that the funnel in the female 

 is well forward at the generative region and the ripe ova are 



