WILLIAMS : ON THE GONADS OF THE LIMN^A. 365 



of the prostata by a dilated pelvis, runs forward, and makes a 

 U-shaped bend posterior to the penis sac, and in a triangular 

 space that has its base formed by the posterior end of the penis, 

 its right side by the proximal position of the receptaculum 

 seminis and oviduct, and its left side by the prostata and buccal 

 mass ; then it passes over the retractor muscle of the penis, and 

 running in front of the proximal portion of the spermatheca, it 

 becomes thinner and enters the muscular tissue forming the 

 right side of the body-wall in which it runs a sinuous course for 

 some distance to emerge at the right side of the penial aperture ; 

 it then runs towards the dorsum, along the right side of the 

 penis, makes several convolutions immediately under the skin 

 of the dorsal surface of the prostoma, and passes back to enter 

 the apex of the penis sac by a short, but distinctly marked, 

 terminal portion. The prostata is an irregular sphjeroidal 

 dilatation of the commencement of the vas deferens which is set 

 apart for the fulfilment of a special function. It is situated 

 posterior to the penis sac, and lies in a groove (vide, ante) on 

 the posterior third of that organ ; it is haemal to the oesophagus 

 and salivary glands, and anterior to the first accessory albumini- 

 parous gland ; the oviduct and the proximal portion of the 

 spermatheca pass over its posterior portion. Its wall is greyish 

 and very rugose externally, divided into incomplete loculi 

 internally ; the male portion of the hermaphrodite duct opens 

 into it on its posterior aspect, and the vas deferens proprium 

 commences in a depression on its anterior surface. The oviduct 

 commences from the hermaphrodite duct directly posterior to 

 the prostata and receptaculum seminis and directly underneath 

 the anterior end of the first accessory albuminiparous gland ; it 

 then runs alongside of, but posterior to, the proximal portion 

 of the spermatheca for some distance, and, at last, joins with it 

 about two millimetres from the ostium vaginae to form a canal 

 common to both (vagina). The receptaculum seminis {sperma- 

 theca) consists of a long duct-like proximal portion, and of a 

 bulbous saccate distal extremity which has been called, after its 



