Miscellnnpoufi. '2 1 .") 



ratus, which is present in all Neniatodi's aiul divides the (rsojtliajjus 

 from the inesonteroii. At the end of this or^^an stelhite cells are 

 found, which j>ro1)al>ly have an excretory furntioii. 



In Ascarida- and Lecanocej>halus a ca'cuiu is descrihed, which is 

 said to project hackwards at the ])oint where the oesophji^us passes 

 into the mesenteron, while a diverticulum of the intestine extends 

 forwards. As is shown hy transverse sections, the structure in 

 question is not a ca'cuiu, hut a solid organ, which represents a pro- 

 jection of the oesophageal wall on the ventral side. A cavity open- 

 ing into the lumen of the a?sophagus is not found in its centre. 

 Witl) reference to the complicated structure of tliis organ. J will here 

 only make the following observations. This gland, for such it 

 undt)ubtedly is, is composed of cells, which are traversed bv a 

 capilliform intracellular tubule. In transverse sections the gland 

 exliibits a biscuit-shaped figure, and is divided into two halves by 

 a central sejjtum. In each half lie the perforated cells already 

 mentioned, so that consequently two delicate tubules are present. 

 Now it is possible to follow these canals aiid observe how the}' enter 

 the oesophageal wall, from which, as I remarked, the gland is a 

 j)rojection, and open each by a pore into the lumen of the oeso- 

 phagus a little distance above the point where the gland fuses with 

 the oesophageal wall. The excretory organ of the lateral lines, as I 

 have already described it in Lecinocephalus in a previous communi- 

 cation, is essentially constructed in precisely the same manner as 

 this oesophageal gland, since it is composed of a number of perforated 

 cells. In both cases the canal is intracellular in position. 



If we take the position of the oesophageal gland into consider- 

 ation, and reflect that it is situated near the commencement of the 

 mesenteron, and is suspended in the coolome, we shall find no 

 difficulty in assuming that this organ absorbs excretory products 

 from till! cocloniic fluid. 



In the parasitic Nematodes, moreover, organs are found lying in 

 the c(jelome, which are in connexion with the lateral lines. Lecano- 

 ci'/thah(s possesses several peculiar organs measuring 4 mm. in 

 diameter, which are distinguished by their digitate ramifications 

 and enclose in their centre a disijroportionately large nucleus. The 

 digitate processes bear small pyriform structures, which attract 

 attention on account of their strongly refractile granular substance 

 and give rise to the conjecture that they may be homologous with 

 the ciliate organs. A ciliation, however, I have so far never 

 succeeded in discovering. These organs, which are in connexion 

 with the lateral ridges by one end, are undoubtedly identical with 

 the "fasciculate bodies" (" buschelformigen Korpern ") alluded 

 to by Leuckart, Schneider, and others, in the case of Ascaris m.egnlo- 

 ceph(da, and situate in the neighbourhood of the excretory pore. 

 The detailed description of these organs, as well as of those pre- 

 viously referred to, will be given in a monograph of the genus 

 LecanocejihaJus and allied forms which will shortly appear. — 

 Zoolocfisrher Anzeiqer, xvi. Jahrg., no. 483, November 13, 1893, 

 i)p. 432-434. 



