5 
suspension of the muscular motions of the vibrio tritici. 
of these old worms is nearly opaque, and appears jointed, or 
annular ; the number of joints, or rings, is from twenty-five 
to thirty ; the belly side is more transparent ; and strings of 
ova can be distinctly seen, through almost the whole length 
of the worm, to the orifice by which the eggs are discharged. 
The movements of these large worms are very faint and 
slow ; they are very seldom observed to unroll themselves 
entirely ; they move their heads and tails faintly, but their 
proboscis they move constantly, extending and contracting 
it quickly ; and when in the act of discharging their eggs, 
they bend the tailpiece upwards with a very quick jerk, at 
the passing of every egg ; after having discharged all their 
eggs, the parent worms soon die, and in a few days they de- 
cay, and fall to pieces almost at every joint. 
The eggs come out from the orifice in strings of five or 
six, adhering to one another at their ends, which then appear 
truncated ; but, in water, they soon separate, and assume an 
oval form, which, in its middle, is slightly contracted. These 
eggs consist of an extremely thin and transparent membrane, 
through which the young worm can be distinctly seen ; and, 
if attentively observed, it may be seen moving within this en- 
velope. The egg is about -j~ part of an inch in length, and 
¥^0 or T5o P art °f an hich in diameter. 
In about an hour and a half after the egg is laid in water, 
the young worm begins to extricate itself from the egg. One 
extremity of the worm ( which I consider to be the head ) 
comes out at one end of the egg ; and by continual twisting 
and active exertion, the young worm comes gradually en- 
tirely out. I watched one individual from the first appearance 
of its head till it was entirely extricated, the operation was 
