NOTES OX THE FREE-LIVING NEMATODES. 



463 



distauce of the bend of the tube, and an ovo-testis, occupy- 

 ing the proximal part of the ventral limb and the whole of 

 the dorsal limb. In individuals examined some hours before 

 the first egg is laid the whole of the ovo-testis appears to 

 ■consist of cellular elements of nearly equal size, which possess 

 definite boundaries near the bend, but merge into a syncytium 

 distally. The anterior testicular region is indicated by the 

 more regular polygonal form of a comparatively narrow belt 

 •of spermatocytes which succeed the uterus. The young egg- 



Text-fig. 7. 



■Tftts 



, U&TUS 



Otaty 





A. 



B. 



■cells which come next are all of small size, and can hsivdly be 

 distinguished from the male cells. Text-fig. 7, a represents a 

 stage where the testis has begun to function, and several 

 spermatozoa have been formed in the anterior part of the 

 testis. 



In the second stage (b) sperm formation is in full activity, 

 or may even be completed by the conversion of all the 

 .spermatocytes into spermatozoa. The female part of the 

 gland now begins to show functional activity by the growth 

 ■of the oocytes most anteriorly situated. The width of the 



