Pleurocystis cuénoti, /Zesse. 261 
along the animal, or anterior to that position (specific cha- 
racter), not at the extreme anterior end as in Monocystis agi/is, 
is enclosed in a well-marked nuclear membrane, and contains 
numerous nucleoli» (generic and specific character). 
The posterior extremity of B exhibits, under a high magnifi- 
cation, in the inner portion of the ectoplasm, a layer of con- 
tractile fibrillae which have been called myocytes, which I 
interpret to mean “ muscle-cells.”? As the organism is 
unicellular, I propose that they be called cytomyomes, which 
I interpret as “ cell-muscles.” 
As this species is a permanently fixed parasite upon the 
seminal funnels, one might reasonably expect to find some 
organ of attachment. As to whether one exists there appears 
to be some difference of opinion, none being mentioned by 
most of the earlier authors cited for Nematocystis (Aono- 
cystis) magna. I am of the definite opinion, however, that 
the cuticle of the anterior end is prolonged into a blunt 
petal-like projection (the equivalent of the epimerite of other 
Gregarines), which stains with picro-carmine like the 
remainder of the cuticle, is unprovided with hooks, and to 
which the cells of the seminal funnels of the earthworm are 
in several cases still adhering. This accords with a passaye 
which Hesse quotes from Biitschli (1882), and not with his 
own observations, for while he appears to me to describe some 
organ of attachment, yet he denies that it isin any way an 
epimerite. I agree with Hesse that it comes in contact, by 
boring, with many host-cells, and is not attached to one only 
as he states is the case in Nematoeystis. 
No spermatozoa of, the worm were found in the seminal 
vesicles, or round the seminal funnels, or attached to any of 
the diploids, such as other observers have figured, nor were 
any ‘tails’? to be discovered. ‘his may be because the 
worm had rece:.tly shed all its spermatozoa in the regular 
breeding-season, which obtains about tlis date, since the 
seminal vesicles were very small, or because the large number 
of parasites present had disintegrated and digested them all. 
In specimens stained with Ranvier’s picro-carmine 25 min, 
only the cuticle absorbed the carmine, while all the cell- 
coutents became yellow from the action of the picric acid. 
In specimens stained with Meyer’s hemalum 5 min, bota 
cuticle, cytoplasm, and nucleus became purple, as also the 
seminal funnel-cells of the host. 
The partners of a diploid appear to adhere to one another 
by a mucilaginous extra-cuticular secretion of “ cement”. 
substance analogous with that which binds the individual 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 9. Vol. iii. 18 
