On the anatomy of a new species of pentastoma found in the lung and air-sac of an Egyptian cobra / by George Harley.

  • Harley, George, 1829-1896.
Date:
[1857]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the anatomy of a new species of pentastoma found in the lung and air-sac of an Egyptian cobra / by George Harley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    in front of the ovary and great nerves, and is almost entirely con- cealed from view by the innumerable tortuosities of the oviduct. It has four distinct coats, an internal mucous, an external serous, and two muscular layers, one running vertically and the other hori- zontally ; both of which consist in great part of the striated variety of muscular fibres *. The interior of the aUmentary canal is marked by longitudinal rugae, from the surface of which long pyriform villi project. Nervous System.—The distribution of the nervous system of this highly organized Entozoon is, in some respects, identical with that found in the Linguatula tcenioides, so beautifully described by Pro- fessor Owen. The large ganglion, or brain, is situated close to the mouth, and is intimately connected with the cESophagus, to which it seems to send two filaments (PI. XLVI, fig. 4, b). I could not, however, satisfy myself of the existence of an oesophageal ring. The distribution of the large pair of nerve cords, which extend almost throughout the whole length of the body, differs very materially from that found in the Linguatula teenioides; for, after passing over the fallopian tubes, instead of running down the sides of the ventral aspect of the body, they continue along the dorsum, behind the ali- mentary canal and close to the ovary (PI. XLVI. fig. 4, c). They are at last gradually lost sight of a few lines above the anus. Organs of Reproduction.—In attempting to describe the organs of reproduction in this animal, I shall begin at the vagina and trace them gradually upwards, for it was by following this course that I was enabled, with the aid of the microscope, to distinguish the dif- ferent organs, and to ascertain the function of their various parts. The orifice of the vagina is situated immediately in front of the anal aperture (PI. XLVI. fig. 4, d). The vagina itself is about the thickness of a pin, and from 3 to 6 lines in length; it gradually widens out into the oviduct, or more correctly speaking, the uterus (PI. XLVI. fig. 4, e). For about the first 6 inches the uterus has a greater diameter than the alimentary canal; it then however be- comes gradually narrower, till its diameter does not exceed that of a fine knitting-needle, and continues of this size till withm a few lines of its termination, where it contracts still more. At its upper point of attachment, which is opposite the third or fourth ring, its diameter is not greater than that of the vagina. In two of the speci- mens I measured the length of the uterus, and found it to be 40 inches from the orifice of the vagina to the place of its attachment opposite the third or fourth ring. Thus it is seen to be nearly ten times the length of the entozoon in which it is coiled up. Although it conceals the alimentary canal, it is not, as in the case of the Lin- gtiatula tcenioides, coiled round it ; neither has it the ferruginous tint spoken of by Owen as belonging to the oviduct of the latter species. It is, on the contrary, of a pale straw-colour when full of ova, and almost quite colourless when empty. Its parietes are thin * Ficinus and Valentin found indistinctly striated muscular fi!)rcs in the human stoniuch.