386 MR. 1\ E. BEDDARD OX TWO [Apr. 17, 



replaced by flattened oval vesicles of various sizes, which have 

 much the look of small sperinathecae, such as characterize man)' 

 Geoscolicidae, e. g. Mtcroehceta. The transition is not abrupt, but 

 gradual. By the thirteenth segment, or even a little before, the 

 transition is accomplished and the nephridial system has the 

 curious appearance indicated in the accompanying drawing (wood- 

 cut, fig. 1). "When the vesicles are removed separately and 

 examined in glycerine they are seen to be sacs with excessively 

 delicate walls and crammed with cells. These cells are oval to 

 rounded in shape and are sometimes granular, sometimes homo- 

 geneous in appearance. In transverse sections these globular sacs 

 were f^een to overlie the nephridial tubes. I am of opinion that 

 tbey are merely an exaggeration of the covering of peritoneal 

 cells, which often take on a glandular appearance and give to the 

 nephridia which they cover a white colour, owing to the granules 

 with which they are laden. The cells are very differently acted 

 upon by the borax carmine which was used as the staining 

 reagent. The homogeneous cells were very deeply stained ; the 

 more granular cells were not at all stained. In these sections the 

 masses appeared oval or circular ; at the side nearest to the body- 

 wall were one or two nephridial tubules cut transversely. 



Alimentary Canal. — As in the last species, there are two stout 

 gizzards in segments v. and vi. The calciferous glands also 

 occupy the same segments as in MiUsonia rubens ; they are 

 perhaps a little less furrowed and appear to be smaller. The 

 intestine has a moderate typhlosole and also the caeca of the last 

 species. I counted the same number of these and they begin at 

 the same point ; their commencement is indicated by the dark 

 pigmentation of the intestine. The posterior set of caeca are 

 rather shorter. 



Reproductive Organs. — The testes are two pairs of little white 

 tufted bodies, which lie on the anterior septa of segments x. and xi. 

 The ovaries are rather larger, but occupy an exactly similar 

 position in the xiiith segment. There are three pairs of sperm- 

 sacs in segments xi., xii., xiii. : they are attached in every case to 

 the anterior walls of their respective segments. Only those of 

 segment xiii. are of any size, and they are not very large. The 

 terminal part of the male efferent apparatus has a very unusual 

 structure. It has been already mentioned that the external pore 

 is single ; the internal organs, however, are double, only uniting 

 just at the pore. AVhen the worm is dissected and the intestine 

 removed, two large elevations, one on either side of the nerve-cord, 

 are exposed. Each of these is about five millimetres long and is 

 quite conspicuous. They are tied down to the parietes by thin 

 straps of muscle, which doubtless serve to retract them after 

 protrusion. The nerve-cord sends to each two nerves on either 

 6ide, which are the ordinary nerves of the segment. These nerves, 

 instead of coming off at right angles to the cord, run, the anterior 

 pair forwards, the posterior pair backwards. The terminal 

 chamber of the efferent apparatus bears a close resemblance to the 



