16 Prof. R. Kossmann on the Ciyptoniscldaj. 



functioning as an intestine, with a secreting and at the same 

 time absorbent epithelium. 



The sucking stomacli so characteristic of the Bopyridaj and 

 Entoniscidffi, with the large papillte projecting into its lumen, 

 is deficient not only in Crjfptothir^ in which, indeed, the larvi- 

 forra fore body would afford no space for it, but also in the 

 other Cryptoniscid^e ; in them, evidently, the intestinum glan- 

 duJare^ the walls of which perform lively movements, assumes 

 its function. 



Finally, as regards the rectum. Its connexion with the 

 anterior part of the intestine is interrupted in the more strongly 

 deformed animals, and we find it only in larvae and young 

 females. As Buchholz, F. Miiller, and Fraisse have already 

 shown, it is inflated into a pear-shape not far from the anus. 

 (In opposition to Fraisse's statements, I find an anus even in 

 the older animals.) Of the bacilliform elements of the con- 

 tents described by Buchholz I have seen nothing any more 

 than Fraisse ; in my sections the lumen of this part is quite 

 empty, as the large cells of the wall project into it like 

 papillae, and leave only a small stelliform space free in each 

 transverse section. I cannot confirm the statements of Buch- 

 holz and Fraisse that pigment cells surround the rectum ; the 

 brown pigment deposited in the neighbourhood of the intes- 

 tine is extracellular, and is probably to be regarded as urinary 

 concretion. Whether we have to do here, as Blanc * sup- 

 poses, with a separation-product of the fatty body, may be 

 regarded in this case as doubtful, as no distinct fatty-body 

 elements could be demonstrated even in tlie youngest stages 

 investigated by me. This, however, is no absolute impedi- 

 ment. In the Bopyridce and Entoniscida; the fatty body, 

 which is at first very large, is reduced in proportion as the 

 ovary enlarges by the maturation of the ova ; and it is com- 

 prehensible that in the Cryptoniscida?, in which sexual 

 products, i. e. male products, are so very early developed, the 

 fatty body will also be reduced very early ; and in a certain 

 sense it is rendered unnecessary by the intestinum glandidare^ 

 which, indeed, does not serve tor the accumulation of already 

 assimilated nutritive material like the fatty body, but never- 

 theless accumulates unassimilated food in enormous quantities ; 

 and this, as it is assimilated, goes directly to the advantage 

 of the ova. It may, however, be supposed that the urinary 

 masses are separated from a fatty body vvliich existed during 

 the larval period ; they are actually present in the greatest 



* Blanc, " Observations faites sur la Tanaits Oerstedii^' in Zool. Anzeiger, 

 1883, p. 687. 



