1887.] A Protandric Hermaphrodie. 13: 
the ovary: it lies along the right side of the body, the organ of 
the left side not being developed, and it consists of an extremely 
thin flat mesorchium, with a slightly thickened free border. In this 
border the male elements of reproduction are produced. When 
. . ♦ examined under a low power of the microscope in the fresh 
state, the thickened border is seen to consist of connective tissue 
containing a number of more or less spherical capsules, varying 
much in size.« The interior of these capsules is completely filled 
up by spherical cells, the average diameter of which is .017 mm. 
This structure of the capsules was observed not only in the fresh 
state and in stained preparations, but it was also brought clearly 
into view on cutting sections transverse to the thickened border 
of the male organ. Illustrations are given of a section, as well as 
of a stained preparation from the testis of an immature male (cf. 
loe. cit. Pl. VI, fig. 7—9). From what he had seen, Cunningham 
concludes »that the cells in the capsules, after subdivision, were 
converted directly into spermatozoa, which by rupture of the cap- 
sules escaped into the body cavity of the animal. There is every 
reason to believe that the fertilization in Myxine takes place 
outside the body.« 
As Cunningham himself has recently said (vide Zool. Aug.,. 
1887, p 243) this description of the male organs is practically 
identical with that af W. MULLER, quoted above (vide p. 9), but 
which he did not know: in one respect MULLER' S description is 
even more complete, as MULLER has observed and described the 
folicular epithelium (in the capsules) which seems to have escaped 
the attention of CUNNINGHAM. But as to the occurrence of testes 
CUNNINGHAM makes the following highly interesting and surprising 
statement: » After identifying the male organ and investigating its 
structure, I was surprised to find that in nearly all specimens with 
very immature eggs, the posterior portion of the sexual organ had 
the same structure as the testis. This testicular portion occupies 
about 2 inches of the posterior end of the sexual organ, and I 
have only found it in specimens in which the eggs were very small, 
that is, less than 4 mm. in length.« An illustration (loe. cit. fig. 10) 
is given of a section through »the male portion of the organ in 
such a hermaphrodite specimen, it »agrees in all respects with the 
figure of a section of the testis. « 
In one hermaphrodite specimen CUNNINGHAM discovered, »on 
teasing up a portion of the testicular portion of the generative or- 
gan a number of spermatozoa, and stages of spermatogenesis«. 
