THE GENITAL OPENINGS. 



693 



the area, and are specially closely grouped between the openings. 

 On microscopic examination they are seen to be conical elevations 



w 





c. 



FIG. 362. Mature joint of Bothriocephalus lotus, g., genital apertures ; p., 

 papillary organs ; y.g., yolk-glands; y.d., " yellow ducts "j c., cirrhus protruded 

 (after Eschricht). (x 8.) 



of the cuticle (O02 mm. high, 0'03-0'04 mm. broad), which enclose 

 in their basal portion a single or double (rarely triple) clear, nuclear, 

 or knob-like body. Although Eschricht, who described these 

 structures quite correctly, and indeed better than his successors (till 

 Stieda), x believed they were cutaneous glands, we shall probably not 

 be far astray in regarding them as tactile papillae. 



If the anterior genital opening be more closely examined, and that 

 preferably and most satisfactorily in longitudinal sections through 

 the papillary region, it does not require long to be convinced that 

 the former does not by any means solely belong to the male 

 apparatus. At the base of the opening one can see, close behind the 

 aperture of the cirrhus-pouch, a second smaller opening, which was 

 discovered even by Eschricht, although he was unable to determine 

 its true nature. He suggests the possibility that it leads into the 

 anterior loops of the uterus, yet he had not any doubt that the opening 

 further back was to be regarded as the os uteri. 



Through the observations of Stieda, we have attained to a clear 

 conception of the nature of this second aperture, adjacent to that of 

 the cirrhus. We know now that it (Fig. 363) is the aperture of the 

 vagina, of a duct which was already seen by Eschricht, and sub- 

 sequently by Botticher, who denned it as the vagina, though both 

 made the mistake of maintaining its connection with the opening of 

 the uterus. 



1 Braun has overlooked former descriptions of this papillary area, and regarded him- 

 self as its discoverer, loc. cit. , p. 42. 



