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Show 832 MR. BEDDARD ON NEW-ZEALAND EARTHWORMS. [Nov. 3, result of a coagulation by the hardening reagent of a fluid or semifluid substance; in this were imbedded a vast number of spherical concretions. The presence of these latter evidently suggests that the copulatory pouch itself may act as an excretory organ ; and in view of the supposed homologies between the copulatory pouch and the nephridia, this fact is of some importance. I carefully searched for concretions in the copulatory pouches of the other species, but did not succeed in finding any. Vejdovsky, in his recently published ' System und Morphologie der Oligochteten,' has figured crystals and one concretionary body in the copulatory pouch of Stylaria1, but I am unacquainted with any other facts comparable to those which have just been stated. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PLATE LII. Fig. 1. Transverse section through oesophageal region of Acanthodrilus dissimilis. ms, (Esophagus; gl, calciferous glands; d.v, dorsal vessel; v.v, ventral vessel; n, nerve-cord. 2. Oesophagus and calciferous glands {gl, gl') of A. dissimilis. 3. GEsophagus and calciferous glands (gl) of A. multiporus. 4. Dorsal nephridium of A. nova zelandia. 5. Ventral nephridiuin of A. novce zelandice. 6. Epithelium of copulatory pouch of A. dissimilis. a, Glandular cells. 7. Superficial view of same epithelium. 8. Epithebum of copulatory pouch of immature individual of same species. 9. Glandular body {gl) attached to vas deferens {v.d.) of A. dissimilis. PLATE LIII. Fig. 1. Typhlosole (transverse section) of A. multiporus. 2. Prostates {pr) and modified mesenteries (m) of A. multiporus. 3. Copulatory pouches (c.p) and diverticula (c.p') of A. novce zelandice. n, nephridia. 4. Anterior end of body of A. multiporus. c, " Brain ; " d.v, dorsal vessel; n, nerve-cord; gl, salivary gland ; d, its duct; ph. pharynx. 5. Opening of ducts of salivary glands (o) within buccal cavity. 6. Portion of intestine, and paired dorsal vessel of A. novce zelandia. 7. Transverse section of copulatory pouch of A. dissimilis. 8. Copulatory pouch of A. nova zelandia. 9. Copulatory pouch of A. dissimilis. 10. Portion of diverticulum of copulatory pouch of A. dissimilis in transverse section, slightly magnified to show the bundles of spermatozoa (gp) imbedded in granular substance. 11. Transverse section of diverticulum of same species, less magnified. The bundles of spermatozoa which have taken up the staining fluid more than the surrounding tissue, are indicated as black masses. 1 P L iv. fig. 11. |
