HELIX — REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. 
161 
which are dehisced at an earlier stage from the sides of the follicle, 
their development proceeding within the follicular lumen. The 
Hermaphrodite Duct, a sinuously convoluted tube, leads from the 
ovotestis and conveys the ova and spermatozoa forward, but before 
reaching the large, linguiform and yellowish Albumen Gland it bends 
abruptly upon itself and forms a peculiar bent subclavate sac, known 
as the Seminal Vesicle or claw. The duct then enters and traverses 
the albumen gland, receiving therein its viscid secretion, by which the 
ova become enveloped ; on the emergence of the duct therefrom, 
the ova and spermatozoa are separated and flow within special 
channels, the Sperm Duct and the Uterus, which, though united 
exteriorly, are separated internally by two closely superposed 
longitudinal septa. The uterus is of a clear bluish-white colour, with 
strongly sacculate and voluminous glandular 
folds, but the walls of the siierm duct are 
formed by an aggregation of ochreous-white 
prostatic follicles. As the conjoined ducts 
approach the anterior end of the body, the 
two channels separate or become diaulic, the 
sacculated uterus becoming straight and 
thick-walled and distinguished as the Ovi- 
duct ; while the sperm duct becomes a 
slender tube, termed the Vas Deferens, and 
conveys the seminal fluid to the male organ, 
passing beneath the right tentacular re- 
tractor and becoming buried in the tissues 
of the body wall for a short distance before 
joining with the distal epiphallial prolonga- 
tion of the penis sheath, which is still further extended by a long and 
slender hollow filament, termed the Flagellum, within which the 
Spermatophore, a peculiar 
and characteristic filament 
of agglutinated sperma- 
tozoa is formed. The Penis 
Sheath is a bluish-white 
and somewhat muscular 
tube, opening into the common vestibule or atrium close to the 
external aperture, which is placed in the nuchal region, beneath the 
I, 
Fig. 325. — Spermatophore of Helix aspcrsa^ with more 
highly enlarged sections, showing the structure of the 
anterior and posterior portions (modified after Moquin- 
Tandon). 
Fig. 324. — Penis sheath, epi- 
phalUis, and flagellum of Helix 
aspersa x 3, showing the mode of 
connection with the vas deferens. 
eps. epiphallus ; fl. flagellum ; 
g.o. common genital orifice ; p.s. 
penis sheath ; r. penial retractor ; 
V. vagina ; v.d. vas deferens. 
