552 ~=REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The duct from the germ gland leaves that organ on its postero-dorsal 
side. Soon after leaving the gland it enlarges for a short space and 
appears t» be lined in the enlarged portion with cilia. 
The vagina opens immediately behind the cirrus in a common genital 
pore. In longitudinal sections parallel with the ventral surface and near 
the exterior it appears asa simple transverse slit smaller than the male 
orifice. The vagina pursues a Somewhat tortuous course for a short 
distance behind the external opening, during which time it lies near the 
ventral surface. It then dips into the central region of the body and 
passes along the median region on the dorsal side of the germ gland. 
It enlarges at one point into a kind of seminal receptacle (Fig. 13, v). 
It appears to unite with the germ duct near the posterior edge of the 
germ gland and on its dorsal side. ; 
The common duct formed by the union of the germ duct and vagina 
soon receives ducts from the vitelline glands. The common duct thus 
formed, and which is the beginning of the uterus, functions as a shell 
gland. In Fig. 13, 0, 0 are ova which lie in the vicinity of the shell 
gland. See also Fig. 14 w’ and the ideal sketch, Fig. 15 sg. 
The product of the vitelline glands is added in the shape of small 
globules of protoplasmic matter. These masses do not, at least imme- 
diately, unite, and on that account the ova, even in the beginning of 
the uterus, have the appearance of undergoing segmentation. In some 
eases I observed ova that appeared to be in the process of formation. 
The shell was exceedingly thin and weak, and among the numerous 
non-nucleated masses, products of the vitelline gland, could be distin- 
guished the nucleated germ cell (Fig. 12 a). 
The uterus lies dorsally in the posterior part of the body. Itis a 
voluminous organ and when full of eggs occupies the greater part of 
the body behind the cirrus bulb (Fig. 14 w). It is on account of the 
accumulation of eggs in the uterus that the posterior surface of the 
body is raised into irregular elevations (Figs. 1, 3, 7, 8). The uterus 
begins behind the ovary and appears to originate from the confluence 
of the vagina, germ duct, and vitelline ducts. The first folds in sec- 
tion present a reticulated appearance and contain numerous ova which 
have thin and membranous shells. These’ova are very irregular in 
in their outline and are invariably collapsed. Both shell and contents 
stain deeply with carmine. The perfect ova have shells that resist the 
action of the staining fluid. 
From its origin on the postero-dorsal side of the germ gland the uterus 
proceeds by numerous folds anteriorly in the direction of the cirrus 
bulb. It appears to terminate, in the older specimens, in a pore imme- 
diately behind the cirrus, in close proximity with the vagina. 
The ova are comparatively large, being 0.06 to 0.065 mm. in length — 
and 0.03 to 0.035 mm. in breadth. The globular masses of which their 
protoplasmic contents are for the most part made up are 0.01 mm. and 
over in diameter. 
