MR FRANK E. BEDDARD ON THE ANATOMY OF OCNERODRILUS. 567 



These bodies are not, as might possibly be inferred from Eisen's description, simple 

 diverticula of the oesophagus ; their lumen is divided up by a network of anastomosing 

 folds of epithelium, the subdivision being more complete towards the blind end of the 

 gland. The aperture into the oesophagus is very wide. The epithelium of the gland 

 appears to be everywhere ciliated, and the alimentary tract from the orifice of the glands 

 becomes ciliated. The structure of the glands is much like that of the calciferous glands 

 of many Earthworms, which are in some cases, at any rate, ciliated.* The corresponding 

 structures in certain species of Enchytrseus are also ciliated, though here the cilia are 

 undergoing degeneration [cf. Michaelsen, 17, figs. 5, 6, dfj. 



' In the Xth and Xlth segments the oesophagus, which is, as already mentioned, ciliated, 

 is extremely narrow, and has tolerably thick muscular walls. 



In the Xllth segment it suddenly increases to more than double its previous dimen- 

 sions, and undergoes no further change, except that it becomes narrower as the body of 

 the worm narrows towards the anus. 



It is important to point out that there is no trace of any gizzard, and that the intestine 

 has no typhlosole, and no caeca or glands of any description. 



Eisen has correctly noted the presence of septal glands in this Oligochset, which in 

 his species occupy the first few segments through which the oesophagus passes. 



Ocnerodrilus Eiseni also possesses these organs. This genus is at present almost the 

 only type of Oligochset with unmistakable points of affinity to Earthworms, in which 

 these structures, so characteristic of many of the lower Oligochaeta, occur. The only 

 other parallel instance known to us is Photodrilus, an Annelid which shows other points 

 of resemblance to Ocnerodrilus. Giard, who has investigated the anatomy of Photo- 

 drilus, writes as follows with regard to the septal glands : — " Dans la region anterieure 

 (anneaux 5 a 9) l'cesophage est recouvert lateralement et dorsalement par des glandes 

 volumineuses qui vont en decroissant d'avant en arriere ; la plus petite est situee dans le 

 neuvieme anneau. Je les considere comme homologues des glandes septales, decouvertes 

 par Vejdovsky chez les Enchy tragi des. Malgre la place qu'ils occupent contre l'intestin 

 ces organes ne sont pas des glandes digestives ; ils debouchent au dehors du cote dorsal 

 et je crois que c'est a, leur secretion qu'il faut attribuer la propriete photogenique du 

 Photodrilus." Eisen says nothing about the apertures of the glands in question in 

 Ocnerodrilus; but the ordinarily accepted view is that they open into the oesophagus. 

 Henle was, according to Vejdovsky, the first to detect an opening into the pharynx. 

 Vejdovsky asserted that in Anaclmta bohemica the glands in question did open into the 

 pharynx ; but as there were isolated masses of gland- cells totally unconnected with the 

 collecting duct, he preferred to use the term "septal" gland instead of salivary gland. 

 Further details as to Anachceta bohemica are to be found in his monumental work upon 

 the Oligochseta [p. 105], where it is stated that the glands possess a lumen communicating 



* In Acanthodrilus antardicus and in the young of A. multiporus. I do not know how far this ciliation is prevalent 

 among Earthworms. 



