526 J. PERCY MOORE. [Vol. X. 



Around the mouth of the spermatheca the epidermal cells 

 become more columnar, producing the slight swelling of the 

 lips (Fig. 29, ep). Immediately within the mouth the trans- 

 parent (almost vitreous-appearing) ductules of the spermathecal 

 glands empty. These glands are hemispherical aggregations 

 of small pyramidal gland cells (Fig. 29). 



Above this point the epithelium maintains a nearly uniform 

 character, becoming somewhat deeper and more glandular in 

 the smaller of the two branches. The cells are large and deep, 

 and have polygonal basal outlines ; and good preparations show 

 a distinct division of the protoplasm into a basal more opaque 

 and an apical (next to the lumen) clear zone (Fig. 30), the free 

 ends of the cells being often very indistinctly bounded. The large 

 central nucleus exhibits a distinct chromatin network (Fig. 30). 



Two layers of muscular fibres invest the undivided portion. 

 Of these the outer longitudinal extends with a slight twist as 

 a thin transparent sheet a single fibre deep, over the glands 

 nearly to the point of bifurcation, where it fades out (Figs, 

 29 and 32). Each fibre possesses an ellipsoidal nucleus having 

 its longer diameter directed longitudinally ; and clear, almost 

 homogeneous, but deeply staining cytoplasm (Fig. 32). The 

 powerful circular layer is more extensively developed. Begin- 

 ning above the glands, it forms a continuous layer of remark- 

 able encircling fibres, mostly arranged transversely to the long 

 diameter of the organ, but usually more or less spirally on the 

 blind end of the smaller division, an arrangement which is 

 sometimes even more regular and conspicuous than in the 

 example figured (Fig. 29). Owing to the thick rounded form 

 of these cells (Fig. 30), and the somewhat irregular manner of 

 their disposition, the surface of the organ is thrown into rounded 

 ridges (Fig. 30), which, during life, are rendered still more 

 prominent by the irregular contraction of the muscle fibres. 

 The fibres of the circular muscle layer resemble those of the 

 longitudinal layer in structure and appearance ; the cytoplasm 

 is even more homogeneous and clear (Fig. 32). Many of the 

 fibres pass almost entirely around the spermathecal walls. 

 They taper toward the ends and overlap one another, as shown 

 in Figs. 29 and 32. 



