76 THE MODE OF REPRODUCTION OF 



near to one edge of the section, and also within a thick fibrous 

 looking band, which, when traced, is found to surround a consi- 

 derable extent of surface. The space contained within this band 

 is also found upon examination to be much more transparent than 

 that beyond it, and to contain numerous small cells, all of which 

 have nuclei or nucleoli within them. These cells appear to be sus- 

 pended in a thickish transparent liquid. The thick fibrous band, 

 mentioned above, is composed of a great many fibres, all of which 

 run almost parallel to one another. Beyond this band, and occu- 

 pying the remaining space between it and the shell, lies a con- 

 fused mass of large primitive cells or blastema. The shell mem- 

 brane, covered by the shell, encircles this, thus the whole struc- 

 ture of the leg at this part consists of, ls, the foramen for the 

 transmission of the vessels and nerves ; the fibrous band, with 

 the semi-liquid mass containing small cells ; the blastema of larger 

 nucleated cells ; and, lastly, the shell membrane, covered by the 

 shell. 



In reference to the fibrous band here mentioned, farther obser- 

 vations have proved it to belong to a very peculiar system of ves- 

 sels, which are very generally distributed throughout the body of 

 the animal. They ramify very freely over the membrane lining 

 the carapace, throughout the ovaries, liver, intestinal canal, and 

 on the blood-vessels of the organs of locomotion. In the latter, 

 they are arranged at regular intervals, and run parallel to one 

 another. They run in this manner, until that part of the leg is 

 reached about half an inch beyond the reproductive gland, when 

 they terminate by means of blind extremities. I have not yet made 

 out the exact relative anatomy of this very peculiar system of ves- 

 sels, or in what manner those running in the longitudinal direction 

 of the leg are connected with the circular one which surrounds the 

 foramen at the point of fracture, but immediately after the ani- 

 mal has thrown of the injured limb, the raw surface becomes co- 

 vered with these vessels. Before the separation, the vessels had 

 been partially empty ; but immediately on the separation taking 

 place, they became so distended as to become visible to the naked 

 eye. In all the observations made, it was generally found that 

 these vessels presented a radiated appearance on the newly made 

 surface, running from the circumference to the circular one sur- 



