Norwegian Solenogastres. 71 
Polychætes . . . have always remained distinct« (GoopRICH 1900, p. 
729). According to the theory advanced here the coelomoducts are 
homologous only with the genital funnels, presumed that these are 
homologous with the genital ducts of the Platyhelminths (ci. 
GOODRICH). 
We have now considered the coelomoducts of the Solenogastres 
in their nature as parts of the genital organs, and we have hitherto 
completely set aside the question as to their assumed function as 
excretory organs. We shall now enter into a discussion of this 
aspect of the question. | 
Ii the coelomoducts are to be homologised with the genital ducts 
of a Turbellarian, they must be denied original nephridial function, 
seeing that in the Turbellarians special organs, the protonephridia, 
fulfill this service, and their homologa, if present in the Solenogastres, 
must be sought in other organs of the latter animals. In reality 
the coelomoducts of the Neomeniina, as WIREN has pointed out 
and has been verified by HEATH, do not show any indisputable 
trace of nephridial function, and in the young animal their epithe- 
lium is even not secretory, facts which conduce to support our 
opinion; on the other hand Chaetoderma where the coelomoducts 
evidently serve as nephridia, seems to tell against our homologi- 
sation of them with the genital ducts of Turbellarians. However 
much at variance these facts may appear to be, it seems possible 
to give an acceptable explanation of them. The great difficulties 
met with at the attempts to establish excretory organs in the So- 
lenogastres have caused many authors to look for them in very 
different regions of the body where secretory epithelium may occur; 
thus WIREN is inclined to suppose that possibly the cuticular pa- 
pillae act as a sort of nephridia, and Nierstrasz 1908 holds with 
regard to the oral cirri that a secretory function is by no means 
inconceivable, »man könnte hierbei vielleicht sogar an Exkretion 
denken, was beim Fehlen eigener Exkretionsorgane nicht unmdglich 
wåre<« (p. 259). An excretory function has been ascribed also to the 
glandular epithelium in the cloacal chamber in certain forms 
(NIERSTRASZ 1. c. p. 276). 
In view of these discrepancies of the opinions, it may be asked 
whether it is not more probable that the pedal gland serves as the 
excretory organ of the Solenogastres (Neomeniina). It is true that 
in some forms (Neomenia, Drepanomenia) the cells constituting the 
gland in question are homogeneous, but in Alexandromenia crassa 
