M. Hesse on a new Parasitic Crustacean. 75 



The whole of this apparatus is strongly attached to the inte- 

 rior by very apparent muscular ligaments, by means of which it 

 is continually issuing from and returning into the proboscis. 



Lastly, we also see beneath this proboscis — that is to say, at 

 the base of the buccal apparatus just described — a pair of very 

 strong footjaws, composed of three joints, and terminated by a 

 strong, flat, lamellar, and denticulated claw, constructed to dig 

 into or cut objects. These footjaws are curved inwards, so as to 

 be able to reach or even to pass the apex of the buccal orifice, 

 upon which they lower themselves in case of necessity. 



We have also remarked that the eye participates in the move- 

 ment to and fro which causes the buccal apparatus to issue and 

 return — an impulse which acts upon the tegumentary envelope 

 in which it is fixed; we have likewise ascertained that it is 

 capable of an incomplete rotation upon itself. 

 . The bodt/, which is very opaque, and, in consequence of its 

 comparative thickness, conceals from sight the details of its in- 

 terior organization, is surrounded throughout its whole extent by 

 a transparent border, which follows all its outlines. Even with 

 the aid of the compressorium we were unable to detect the 

 movements of circulation, which nevertheless would have been 

 very interesting ; we ascertained only that the intestinal tube, 

 which is very voluminous, especially at the middle of the body, 

 passes directly from the oesophagus to the anus, and that the 

 matters contained in it are black, thick, and syrupous ; these 

 issue readily from the body when it is touched rather roughly, 

 and then, by spreading in the water, form a tolerably compact 

 network, which remains for some time without dissolving. 



It was only by infinite patience, and by taking advantage of 

 an individual kept alive for more than a fortnight and reduced 

 by abstinence until it was nearly transparent, that we succeeded 

 in ascertaining the organization of the mouth and its evolutions. 

 We had previously attempted in vain to detect them by means of 

 the compressorium ; its action upon these organs, crushing them, 

 produced nothing but confusion, which prevented our continuing 

 our observations. The lobes of the liver are very large, and are 

 contained in the middle of the abdominal cavity. We could not 

 detect the organs of generation. The ova are large, enclosed 

 within the most spacious part of the thoracic region, and placed 

 above the intestine while they are still contained in the oviduct. 

 They are arranged in a chain in two or three rows, and form a 

 considerable number of loops or sinuosities ; their course may 

 be detected, and is directed towards the orifices placed at the 

 base of the last thoracic segment. When they are expelled 

 from the body, they form a square flat mass ; they are enclosed 

 in a special envelope, and agglutinated together. They appear 



6* 



