1272 General Notes. [ December, 
and to the renal organs. Von Ihring’s studies show that in some 
mollusks there is a direct relation between the renal organs and 
the genital organs. In the lamellibranchs he found that the kid- 
neys are paired pouches opening to the exterior by paired ori- 
fices, that the genital organs are likewise paired pouches, that 
there are three modes by which these open to the exterior: 
1. By a distinct orifice distinct from the renal orifice of the 
same side. This is the common mode, and was observed by Von 
Ihring in Tridacna, Isocardia, Seripes, Cardium, Gastrochena, 
Mya, Cosbicula, Donax, Psammobia, Venus. 
2. By a distinct orifice situated upon the same papilla with the 
renal orifice of the same side, e. g., Mytilus. 
3. By an orifice directly into the renal pouch of the same 
side, e. g., Modiola, Modiolaria, Mytilus, Yoldia, Avicula, Isogno- 
mon, Margaritifera, Pecten, Spondylus. : 
There is here then ground for supposing that the genital sys- 
tem as well as the renal system may have stood in relation with 
the pericardial cavity in the early molluscan forms. 
ubrecht! describing Proneomenia states that the duct from the 
reproductive organ runs straight through the pericardium, and 1s 
in communication with it, and that in Chetoderma there is also 
a communication between the generative and pericardial cavities, 
and that this is the remnant of a primitive condition, and is esi 
lar in its meaning to the condition of things in Patella and F eek 
rella where renal and genital system open on some papilla, ` aie 
in most gastropods even this slight indication of a previous ¢ 
relation is lost. further 
The morphology of these organs has been recently ei ‘ie 
illuminated by Grobben,? who has just published a papi ig This 
renal and genital systems and body-cavity of mollus A a 
paper contains many interesting and suggestive thoughts, may 
important results as far as they concern my present purpose 
be summarized as follows: ; ks, with 
1. In Sepia officinalis there is a pair of kidney sack® si 
epithelium strongly glandular where these occu 
of the body where the hearts and main vascular by proper 
situated, and these kidney sacks open to the exterior ck from a 
papilla. . A ciliated opening leads into this kidney pa the gill 
cavity lined with ciliated epithelium; this cavity “Th ovary is 2 
hearts, the aortic heart and the genital organs. ‘thelium, 
ridge in this cavity formed of folds of peritoneal ep! caught UP 
ova are developed from its cells. Eggs from it si h it to the 
by the open end of an oviduct and conveyed throug 
mantle cavity. -< not large 35 i@ 
2. In Eledone moschata the peritoneal space 1S wa and little 
Sepia, and does not surround the hearts, it 15 SHTe © 
1 Proneomenia sluiteri, Quart. Journ. Micros. Sct. 
*Claus’ Arbeiten, Vol. v, p. 179. 
