POINTS IN THE ANATOMY OF PERIPATUS CAPENSIS. 43S 



from normal Arthropoda and Annelida, viz. the absence of ganglia 

 on the ventral cords, does not really exist. In other par- 

 ticulars, as in the amount of nerve cells in the ventral cords and 

 the completeness of the commissural connections between the two 

 cords, &c., the organisation of the nervous system of Peripatus 

 ranks distinctly high. The nervous system lies within the circu- 

 lar and longitudinal muscles, and is thus not in proximity with the 

 skin. In this respect also Peripatus shows no signs of. a primi- 

 tive condition of the nervous system. 



A median nerve is given off from the posterior border of the 

 supraoesophageal ganglion to the oesophagus, which probably 

 forms a rudimentary sympathetic system. I believe also that I 

 have found traces of a paired sympathetic system*. 



The organ doubtfully spoken of by Mr. Moseley as a "fat body, 

 and by Grube as a lateral canal, is in reality a glandular tube, 

 lined by beautiful columnar cells containing secretion globules, 

 which opens by means of a non-glandular duct into the mouth. It 

 lies close above the ventral nerve cords in a lateral compartment 

 of the body-cavity, and extends backwards for a varying distance. 



This organ may perhaps be best compared with the simple 

 salivary gland of Julus. It is not to be confused with the slime 

 glands of Mr. Moseley, which have their opening in the oral 

 papillae. If I am correct in regarding it as homologous with 

 the salivary glands so widely distributed amongst the Tracheata, 

 its presence indicates a hitherto unnoticed arthropodan affinity in 

 Peripatus. 



