neio African Earthworm. 455 



groups of sense-cells, and figured by Vejdovsky * iu tlic case 

 of his "Doidro/jana nib'uld." 



The '• uepliridial lobes/' to which ixTcrence lias already 

 been made, consist of loops of the ciliated ne[)liiidial ducts 

 and their accompanying; blood-vessels, surrounded by a loose 

 sponjry mass of <;landular cells, among which are scattered, 

 usually in eluui|)s, numerous small globules of some 

 yellowish-brown substance. They thus seem, on the whcle, 

 to resemble the " tufts " of tubules, siirrounded by aggrejja- 

 tions of peritoneal cells, deseril)ed by Beddard j in the allied 

 form Dic/tOf/aster damonis. 



It will be :een fron) the foregoing account that the 

 nephridia in this Sf)ecics, though clearly to be included in 

 tlie category of "diffuse" nephridia, are arranged on a plan 

 which dili'ers somewhat from tlie usual tj'^pe. The appear- 

 ance of pairing in the nephridial organs of each segment 

 may, of course, be secondary, but it is suggestive of an 

 intermediate condition between the strictly paired and the 

 irregularly diH'use types of excretory system. There may 

 be a network of tubules connecting the nephridia of succes- 

 sive segments, but, so far as my observations have gone, it 

 seems more pro])able that each segment has its nephridial 

 organs distinct Ironi those of its neighbours. 



Genital Organs. — The sperm-sacs consist of two pairs of 

 dorsal prolongations, united by a median ventral space, in 

 segments xi.-xii. The two pairs of testes and the two pairs 

 of voluminous sperm-funnels occupy their usual positions in 

 these segments. The sperm-duets run for the greater part 

 of their length in the thickness of the body-wall. The 

 ovaries are in segment xiii. 



The spermiducal or "prostate" glands are arranged iu 

 two pairs. They yre large, massive, and solid organs, each 

 consisting, apparently, of a single tube much coiled, and 

 covered by a coat of peritoneum, so that the coils are not 

 visible externally. Each gland gives oft" a narrow duet 

 which opens close to the penial seta. The epithelium of the 

 glands consists, as in other members of the family, of several 

 layers of flask-shaped cells with very long ducts. The 

 outermost cells are often grouped together in bunches. 



There are two |)airs of large spermatheese in the usual 

 position. These organs (figs. 3 & 1) have a stout muscular 

 duct (/).) and a sac which is divided by a narrow passage 



* Svst. u. Moipli. (1. 01igncb;eteii, 18^4, pi. xv. fig. 1.3 a. 

 ■f Quart. Joiim. Micr. Sci. n. ser., xxix. Id89, p. 259. 



