THE GIANT EARTH-WORM OF GIPPSLAND. 35 
spermathecz in several worms at different seasons, I was surprised to find no trace of 
spermatozoa, but simply remains of a fluid containing granules and masses of nucleate 
corpuscles. The latter are aggregated into the form of spheres, and it is difficult to 
say what is their real nature. 
Sections showed that the spermatozoa, at all events in those examined, were 
confined to the diverticulum, near the base, and in its hollow spaces they were 
densely crowded together. The space follows the external markings, and the whole 
communicates with the main cavity of the spermatheca by means of a narrow 
passage. The walls of the diverticulum are devoid of the columnar epithelium, and 
formed mainly of connective tissue. It is possible that the walls of the main cavity 
may secrete a fluid from the blood, which is necessary to maintain alive the 
spermatozoa until such time as they are needed to be placed in the cocoon. 
According to Jackson,* Vespovsky states that the fluid forms the spermatophores. 
Remarks on the Nephridial System.t—The most interesting points in the anatomy 
of Megascolides are concerned with the nephridial system. During the last few years 
our knowledge of the structure and arrangement of the nephridia of Chetopods has 
been very much enlarged, and though in the absence of fuller information concerning 
the development of the organs, it is not perhaps possible to arrive at any final 
conclusions, still the data available is sufficient to warrant a comparison of the 
Chetopod nephridia with those of certain other worms. Such a comparison has lately 
been attempted by Bepparp in the light of his discoveries with regard to the 
structures in Acanthodrilus and Pericheta. The nephridia of Megascolides may 
perhaps serve to render some points still more clear.{ 
Bzpparp has argued very forcibly in favour of the view of a direct relationship 
existing between the nephridia of Hirudinea and Chetopoda on the one hand, and of 
the Platyhelminthes on the other. 
Certainly the existence of provisional larval nephridia in various Hirudinee, 
Polychete, and Oligochete is a point of great difficulty in homologizing the permanent 
nephridia of the latter forms with those of Platyhelminthes. Burau, as quoted by 
Bepparp, holds that the above mentioned larval structures, together with those of 
Mollusca, are homologous with the nephridial system of the Platyhelminthes. 
Whilst on the one hand, Bereu asserts that the larval nephridia of the Hirudinea are 
* Forms of Animal Life. 2nd edit., p. 206. 
+ The suggestions made in the following pages differ somewhat from those made in a letter on the 
same subject, which was published in Wature, June 28, 1888. 
t In the absence of access to any but a very meagre supply of original literature on this subject in 
Melbourne, I am indebted both for the facts stated with regard to other worms, and the views held by 
other investigators, to the valuable series of papers by Bennam and Bepparp, and the second edition by 
Jackson of “The Forms of Animal Life,” and to the memoir of Bourne for facts regarding the 
Hirudinece. 
Pp 2 
