new African Earthworm. 403 



sperm (fig. 6, Sp.). This lumen is, I tliiiik, open at its lower 

 extremity. The yellow niatier and sperm were present in 

 the spermatheea of whieh serial seetions were cut, althougli 

 no upper eapsule was tbuiul in the middle spermathecal sac. 

 The outer extremity of tiie trumpet- like tube was also blocked 

 by a mass of homogeneous substance, baving mueli the 

 appearance of yolk. This substance diders somewhat, 

 however, from that of the ma>-s contained in the upper 

 cai)snle, when this is present, for the latter is much more 

 granular. 



In a spermatophore botli parts of wliicb, i. e., both the 

 trumpet-like tube and the upper eapsule, were fully formed 

 and in contact, the yellow stratified matter witbin the tube 

 was found by the section method to be continuous with the 

 wall of the upper ca[)sule, but stained much less deeply. 

 The sperm-containing lumen in this yellow matter was also 

 in communication with the cavity of tlie eapsule, the lower 

 l)arc of whicli also contained a small quantity of sperm, 

 clinging to its walls. 



It will probably be impossible to arrive at any definite 

 conclusions regarding the history and ultimate^ fate (;f the 

 '" ^pcrmatophores'^ in these worms, until some good observer 

 furnishes us with an account of their breeding-habits. 

 Viewed from a structural standpoint, the spermatophores, if 

 such they are, are most interesting and puzzling. It is very 

 ditficult to understand what can be the advantage of 

 enclosing the sperm in such an elaborately-formed ease, and 

 not less so to trace the probable manner of its formation. 



The only point which ap[)ears to me to be now settled 

 almost with certainty, is that the lower, trumpet-like tube 

 of the spermatophore is actually secreted., and not merely 

 moulded, by the epithelium of the spermathecal duct. 

 Ik'ddard has already r>.rached the conclusion that in D. austeni 

 it is moulded at least, if not really secreted, by this duct, 

 but with the reservation that the material might liave been 

 derived from the spermiducal glands of another \^olm. The 

 (nidence, in the present case, of the protoplasmic [)rocesses 

 of the cells of the duct, extending as they do into the edges 

 of the secreted matter, seems to me to place this question, 

 ^^ith legard to D.jaculatrix at least, almost beyond doubt. 



The origin of the other parts of the spermatophore, and 

 the order of formation of all the parts, are, however, still 

 very doubtful. From the glandular nature of the cells lining 

 both divisions of the spermathecal sac, it would seem almost 

 certain that they must ])lay some ])art iu the formation 

 of the apparatus. I am inclineil to believe that they are 



