ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 239 



parts of the earthworm consonant with Hering's account was in 1870 given 

 by the late Prof. Eolleston in his 'Forms of Animal Life' — that is, 

 ten years before Blomfield (not Bloomfield) and fifteen years before 

 Yejdovsky. As Dr. Bergh finds much to correct or add to in the work of 

 previous observers it will be necessary to give a detailed account of the 

 present paper. 



In all the species of Lumhrici examined by him there are normally two 

 pairs of testes in the ninth and tenth and a pair of ovaries in the 

 twelfth segment ; the testes vary in form in ditferent species ; the organs 

 taken by Vaillant, Perrier, and Beddard for the testes of Perichseta are the 

 vesiculse seminales ; the two pairs of white spheres noticed, but not cor- 

 rectly understood, by Horst are really the testes. The ovaries appear to 

 be sufficiently well known. 



The ovaries and testes are parenchymatous organs, consisting of a thin 

 cortex of peritoneum and an internal compact mass of germinal cells ; 

 Dr. Bergh has been able to detect a line of demarcation between coelomic 

 epithelial cells of the ordinary kind and those which build up the substance 

 of the testes ; the differences are most apparent in the nuclei, for those 

 of the germinal mass are much clearer, larger, and rounded, while they 

 stain less easily, and are not homogeneous, but have a very distinct plexiform 

 protoplasmic framework. Much the same account applies to the histological 

 characters of the ovary. The gonads are the sole part of the generative 

 apparatus that are laid down during the life within the cocoon. 



With regard to the nomenclature of what may be indifferently called the 

 seminal reservoirs, the author suggests that the paired appendages shall be 

 called the seminal vesicles, and the median unpaired part the sominal 

 capsule. The simplest condition is found in Liimhricus turgidus, foetidus, 

 and three other species which Eisen unites under the name of Allolobopliora ; 

 in these the median capsule is completely wanting, and the seminal in- 

 fundibula are quite uncovered and freely lie in the coelom. In these 

 species there are four seminal vesicles on either side — each testicular 

 segment having two pairs. In Lumhricus (s. str.), e.g. L. terrestn$, the 

 second of the four vesicles is wanting from either side, the anterior testicular 

 segment has two pairs of outgrowths, and the hinder only one, while there 

 is a median seminal capsule ; this last is due to a fine horizontal membrane 

 which divides each of the segmental cavities into a larger upper and a 

 smaller lower division, and the cavity of the capsule is therefore a part of 

 the coelom which has been cut off. The vesicles and capsule form reservoirs 

 in which the spermatozoa mature, but it is not yet known how the cells 

 which break off" from the testes make theii- way into them. 



Blomfield has correctly stated that the vesicles are finely camerate 

 organs, and in this they differ from the capsule, the cavity of which is quite 

 simple. With regard to the same author's acceptation of Prof. Lankester's 

 suggestion that the seminal vesicles arise as pocket-like outgrowths 

 of the side walls of the rosettes of the seminal infundibula. Dr. Bergh 

 somewhat strongly says " die Figur giebt nur die Lankesler'sche Phantasie, 

 aber keineswegs die Natur wieder." Dr. Bergh has had no difficulty in 

 assuring himself that the seminal vesicles arise quite independently of the 

 seminal infundibula ; by the study of suitable sections, he has seen that 

 the vesicles arise from thickenings and invagination of septa 8-9, 9-10, 

 and 10-11 ; the outer epithelium and the groundwork of connective tissue 

 arise from the peritoneum of one side of the septa ; the peritoneum of the 

 other side invaginates and forms the canal with its enlargement, while 

 from the fundamental membrane of the septa the muscular fibres and the 

 vessels grow into the vesicle. Though he has not been able to follow 



