55 



present in segment IV, V and VI, and their proximal portion lies just next 

 to the mucous gland and is so closely connected with it, that Bed- 

 dard probably took the funnels of those nephridia for those of the mucous 

 gland. Though my observations therefore do not confirm Beddard's 

 statements about the structure of the mucous gland , I will not assert , 

 that his view as to the morphology of this organ is entirely disproved. 



I never observed any alternation of the nephridial pores in this 

 worm, as described for many other earthworms. 



In his first communation about L. corethrurus Fritz Müller calls the 

 attention upon the fact , that all larger specimens on a fourth of the body- 

 length , in front of the caudal extremity , show a small region , where the 

 body-wall is strongly dilated , and which in preserved worms looks as 

 another clitellum. During life this enlarged spot is of a lively red colour , as 

 if inflammation exists there ; it consists of five to ten segments , which 

 are devoid of bristles and are more or less distinctly separated from each 

 other. These segments have the appearance of being recently formed, 

 and the author therefore suggests, that in this spot a formation of 

 new segments takes place. Perrier in his elaborate paper on the ana 

 tomy of this worm states, that his examination is not confirmatory 

 of Fr. Müller's view and he thinks the dilatation of the body only 

 to be due to the bulging of the intestinal canal , because just on this 

 spot the typhlosolis terminates and the intestine passes into the rec- 

 tum. Beddard l ) , who some time ago also had the opportunity of 

 examing living examples of this worm, cannot agree with Perrier's 

 opinion. He found that in the dilated spot „the bristles are not always 

 absent — as stated by Fr. Müller — but that they (when pre- 

 sent) are extremely small and easily overlooked; this suggests that 

 they are embryonic setae. Furthermore the epidermis in this region of 

 the body is without the large oval glandular cells, which are so cha- 

 racteristic a feature of the integument in all Oligochaetae. All the 

 cells are more or less alike. This, again, I take to be a embryo- 

 nic feature. In the third place, the intestine in some individuals 

 was very much contracted in diameter, and, as already mentioned, 

 was empty of earth." His conclusion is: „it appears, therefore, 

 to be likely that new segments in Urochaeta are 



1) Ann. and Mag. of Nat. History, 1891, p. 95. Quartl. Journ. Micr. Science, Vol. 

 XXXI, p. 163. 



