486 ON THE ATEIUM AXJJ PBOSTATE IN THE OLIGOCH^TA. [May 16, 



of the male ducts are combined into one structure. And in 

 Tuhifex their separation is more apparent than real. It is, in fact, 

 far easier to object to current terms than to invent suitable new 

 ones. In considering this question the origin of the so-called 

 atria must be borne in mind ; there are, as has been pointed out, 

 strong reasons for believing them to have been produced by a 

 reduction of glandular sacs often furnished with modified setae 

 found in the neighbourhood of the male pores and of the sperma- 

 tothecse ; primarily, we are to suppose, they have no connection 

 with the male pores ; it would, however, be inconvenient to speak 

 of them when limited to a single pair into which the sperm-ducts 

 open as " copulatory glands," for by doing so their specialized 

 condition would be lost sight of ; it would be the same thing as 

 calling the sperm-ducts nephridia. The various difficulties will 

 perhaps be obviated if we speak of them in those cases where they 

 have a clear relation to the sperm-ducts as " spermiducal glands." 

 This term has the advantage that it has not been before used in 

 the group and hence has no preconceived meaning attached to it ; 

 it is also to a considerable extent actually descriptive of the 

 structures in question. 



List oe Literature eeeeeeed to. 



1. VAiLLAifT, L. — "Note sur TAnatomie de deux Especes du 



genre Periclia-ta, &c." Ann. Sci. Xat. (5) x. p. 225. 



2. Clapabede, E. — " Kecherches anatomiques sur les Oligo- 



chetes." Mem. Soc. Phys. Geneve, t. x\\. 2me partie. 



3. Vejdovskt, E. — System uud Morphologic der Ohgochaeteu. 



Prag, 1884. 



4. Beddakd, E. E. — " Xote on the Reproductive Organs of 



Mo ailig aster." Zool. Anz. 1887, p. 678. 



5. Beddaed, E. E. — " On the Structure of three new Species of 



Earthworms, with Remarks on certain Points in the 

 Morphology of the Oligochaeta." Quart. Journ. Micr. 

 Sci. vol. xxix. p. 101. 



6. Beddaed, F. E. — " Contributions to the Anatomy of Earth- 



worms : Nos. I., n., ni." P. Z. S. 1887, p. 372. 



7. Beddaed, F. E. — " A new Branchiate Oligochsete, Branchiura 



sowerbii." Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci. vol. xxxiii. p. 1. 



8. Beddaed, F. E. — " A Contribution to the Anatomy of Sutroa." 



Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. vol. xxxvii. 



9. Beddaed, F. E. — " On some new Species of Earthworms 



from various parts of the World." P. Z. S. 1892, p. 666. 



10. BEifHAM, W. B.— "Atrium" or "Prostate"? Zool. Anz. 



1890, p. 368. 



11. GrARMAN, H. — " On the Anatomy and Histology of a new 



Earthwomi {Biplocardia communis, gen. et sp. nov.)." 

 Bull. IlUnois State Lab. vol. iii. p. 47. 



12. EiSEK, G. — " Oligochsetological Researches.'' Rep. Comm. 



Fisheries for 1883, p. 879 (1885). 



