384 MB. F. E. BEDDABD ON TWO [^pr- 17, 



In the middle region of the body the nephridia form a denser 

 coating of the parietes than I have before noticed in any worm 

 with plectonephrie excretory organs. 



Alimentary Canal. — The pharynx of Millsonia ruhens ends with 

 the fourth segment ; in each of segments v. and vi. is a strong 

 gizzard which measures about 7 mm. in length and not less in 

 breadth. The two gizzards are separated by an interval of soft 

 walled oesophagus. Caleiferous glands are present and show 

 a rather unusual appearance. There are three pairs of them, which 

 lie in segments xv., xvi., and xvii. These segments, be it noted, are 

 the same in which the caleiferous glands of the Acanthodrid genus 

 Benhamia lie. I have already pointed out that another Crypto- 

 drilid, viz. Microdrilus, is distinguished by the same position of its 

 caleiferous glands. These glands in Millsonia ruhens have a very 

 remarkable appearance ; the surface is so much furrowed as to 

 give them the look of a small though highly convoluted mamma- 

 lian brain. In microscopic examination they are seen to present 

 the characters usually found in these glands ; the interior is 

 occupied by numerous long folds of the lining epithelium, whose 

 cells are rather flattened. The intestine begins in segment xviii. 

 This part of the gut is most remarkable for a long series of caeca, 

 which I have already referred to as a character of the genus. I 

 counted altogether 32 pairs of these caeca, which begin at about the 

 28th segment. They begin and end abruptly ; the first pair and 

 the last are neither larger nor smaller than those which precede 

 and follow them. The shape of the caeca is precisely that of the 

 caeca of the genus Pericluvta. They taper gradually to\^'ards the 

 free extremity and are in fact exactly like the finger of a glove. The 

 length averages some 6 mm. In the region of the intestine occu- 

 pied by these caeca, the dorsal blood-vessel gives off in each segment 

 two equi-sized trunks ; one of these — the most anterior — is entirely 

 concerned with the blood-supply of the caecum of its side. The 

 other supplies the walls of the intestine and appears not to run 

 over the caecum ; in the section of intestine in front of the region 

 where the caeca are I only noticed a single pair of intestinal trunks 

 in each segment. It will be understood that these caeca are 

 entirely metameric in arrangement — that is to say, there is a pair 

 to each segment ; they arise at first more laterally in position, 

 afterwards their origin is nearer to the dorsal line. 



Reproductive Orrjans. — There are two pairs of testes and of 

 sperm-duct funnels, which occupy the usual segments, i. e., 

 segments x., xi. The sperm-sacs are in segments xi., xii. attached 

 to the front walls of these segments ; the sacs are not particularly 

 large and do not stray beyond their segments. The spermiducal 

 glands lie entirely within the xviith segment ; they are coiled 

 into a compact mass. The muscular duct is of a moderate length 

 and has a nacreous appearance. I am unable to state what is the 

 relation between the gland and the sperm-ducts. The ovaries are 

 large and occupy the xiiith segment. There are only a single pair of 

 spermathecae ; these lie in the viiith segment. The sacs are 



