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Show 486 ON THE ATRIUM AND PROSTATE IN THE OLIGOCHAETA. [May 16, of the male ducts are combined into one structure. And in Tubifex their separation is more apparent than real. It is, in fact, far easier to object to current terms than to invent suitable new ones. In considering this question the origin of the so-called atria must be borne in mind; there are, as has been pointed out, strong reasons for believing them to have been produced by a reduction of glandular sacs often furnished with modified setae found in the neighbourhood of the male pores and of the spermatothecae ; primarily, we are to suppose, they have no connection with the male pores ; it would, however, be inconvenient to speak of them when limited to a single pair into which the sperm-ducts open as "copulatory glands," for by doing so their specialized condition would be lost sight of; it would be the same thing as calling the sperm-ducts nephridia. The various difficulties will perhaps be obviated if we speak of them in those cases where they have a clear relation to the sperm-ducts as " spermiducal glands." This term has the advantage that it has not been before used in the group and hence has no preconceived meaning attached to it; it is also to a considerable extent actually descriptive of the structures in question. LIST OF LITERATURE REFERRED TO. 1. VAILLANT, L.-"Note sur l'Anatomie de deux Especes du genre Perichceta, &c." Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) x. p. 225. 2. CLAPAREDE, E.-" Recherches anatoiniques sur les Oligo-chetes." Mem. Soc. Phys. Geneve, t. xvi. 2me partie. 3. VEJDOYSKT, F.-System und Morphologie der Oligochaeten. Prag, 1884. 4. BEDDARD, F. E.-" Note on the Reproductive Organs of Moniligaster." Zool. Anz. 1887, p. 678. 5. BEDDARD, F. E . - " On the Structure of three new Species of Earthworms, with Remarks on certain Points in the Morphology of the Oligochaeta." Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci. vol. xxix. p. 101. 6. BEDDARD, F. E . - " Contributions to the Anatomy of Earthworms : Nos. I., IL, III." P. Z. S. 1887, p. 372. 7. BEDDARD, F. E . - " A new Branchiate Oligochaete, Branchiura soiverbii." Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci. vol. xxxni. p. 1. 8. BEDDARD, F. E.-" A Contribution to the Anatomy of Sutroa." Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. vol. xxxvii. 9. BEDDARD, F. E.-" On some new Species of Earthworms from various parts of the World." P. Z. S. 1892, p. 666. 10. B E N H A M , W . B.-"Atrium" or "Prostate"? Zool. Anz. 1890, p. 368. 11. G A R M AN, H.-" Ou the Anatomy and Histology of a new Earthworm (Biplocarclia communis, gen. et sp. nov.). Bull. Illinois State Lab. vol. iii. p. 47. 12. EISEN, G.-" Oligochaetological Researches." Rep. Comin. Fisheries for 1883, p. 879 (1885). |
