196 
ROBERT SCHARFF. 
Behandlung kann man fiber die Natur dieser Korper nicht 
lange im Zweifel sein. Es sind, um es kurz zu sagen, raum- 
lich differencirte Tkeile einer am Stammesende machtig ent- 
wickelten Cutis.” 
As I shall attempt to show further on, it is extremely 
probable that we have here to deal with secretory organs. 
The hypodermis as well as the cuticula are also found on the 
peculiar respiratory appendage of Priapulus (fig. 11, resp.) the 
so-called “ Schwanzanhang the two layers, however, become 
very thin. 
It now remains to consider the modifications of the hypo- 
dermis on the ventral surface of the body where the nerve- 
cord runs. An interesting transformation of hypodermic into 
ganglionic cells may be seen here, their nuclei swelling up 
and the rest of the cells becoming considerably attenuated. 
A look at fig. 6 and 7, however, will help to elucidate this 
better than a long explanation. 
Horst 1 describes the hypodermis of Priapulus bicau- 
datus “as a thin layer, the thickness of which in the trunk 
only amounts to 0'003 mm.” “ It is composed of small 
branching cells with pretty large nuclei and only little proto- 
plasm. The cellular bodies are connected with one another 
by numerous slender processes, and thus they assume a reti- 
culated appearance.” 
The Cutis. 
As already mentioned the existence of a cutis is extremely 
difficult to demonstrate, at any rate in the body. In the pro- 
boscis it becomes more evident, and consists of a very thin 
layer of fibrous connective tissue (fig. 8, d.). It is especially 
well seen where the longitudinal muscles are attached to the 
body wall, the hypodermis bending somewhat towards the 
interior, and the cutis attaching itself to the muscle. 
This cutis corresponds as regards position to Keferstein’s 2 
“ gestrichelten Haut,” which he found underlying the hypo- 
1 Loc. cit., p. 17. 
3 Keferstein, ‘ Untersuchungen iiber niedere. Seethiere,’ p. 41. 
