WORMS. 353 



The Tania soUum is androgynous ; that is to say, it produces its 

 ova without the necessity for the contact of two individuals, the 

 male and female organs being contained in each. Professot 

 Owen further describes them : '* In each joint of this worm there is 

 a large branched ovarium, from which a duct is continued to the 

 lateral opening. The ova are crowded in the ovary, and in those 

 situated on the posterior segments of the body they generally pre- 

 sent a brownish color, which renders the form of their receptacle 

 sufficiently conspicuous. In segments which have been expelled 

 separately, we have observed the ovary to be nearly empty ; and 

 ic is in these that the male duct and gland are most easily per- 

 ceived. For this purpose, it is only necessary to place the seg- 

 ment between two slips of glass, and view it by means of a simple 

 lens, magnifying from 20 to 30 diameters. A well defined line, 

 more slender and opaque than the oviduct, may then be traced, 

 extending from the termination of the oviduct, at the lateral open- 

 ing, to the middle of the joint, and inclined in a curved or slightly 

 wavy line to near the middle of the posterior margin of the seg 

 ment, where it terminates in a small oval vesicle. This, as seen 

 by transmitted light, is sub transparent in the center, and opaque 

 at the circumference, indicating its hollow or vesicular structure. 

 The duct, or vas deferens, contains a grumous secretion; it 

 is slightly dilated just before its termination. In this species 

 therefore, the ova are impregnated on their passage outward'* 

 From this minute description, it may be gathered that the ova are 

 in enormous numbers, each section of the worm being capable of 

 producing them to an almost indefinite extent ; and as they are 

 passed out of the body with the fasces, it is not surprising that 

 they are readily communicated from one dog to another, as is al- 

 most proved to be the case from the fact of their prevalence in 

 certain kennels, and absence from others. The injury caused by 

 these worms is twofold, viz., the abstraction of nourishment, 

 which is absorbed by the worms, and the irritation produced by 

 then* presence in the intestines. It is, therefore, of the utmost im- 

 portance to get rid of so troublesome customers. 



The Kidney- worm (gigas], Professor Owens says, "inhabits the 



