Altogether we see that the alimentary canal is of a very simple structure. The food, judging from the contents of the stomach, seems generally to be composed of infusoria and minute animals: but in the case of [Tetraclita], I have been surprised at the size and number of the included amphipod, isopod, and entomostracan Crustaceans, in one case, together with an annelid. I have, also, sometimes seen some confervoid matter within the stomach.
Circulatory System.
On this subject I can add nothing, except to express my conviction that there is no heart, or true vessels; the circulation being strictly lacunal. A passage has often been quoted from Poli, in which he states that he saw a pulsating organ, close above the anus; but I have seen this movement, which appeared to me to be a convulsive twitching of the sphincter muscle of this orifice. The largest lacunal channel extends down the middle of the rostral compartment of the shell: and this answers to the rostral channel down the peduncle in the Lepadidæ. Large nerves and the main pair of unbranched ovarian tubes (Pl. [25], fig. [1], leading into g) extend along this channel. At the basis (at least in [Coronula]) this channel joins on to a large circular one, running all round the sack, and sending off branches into the mass of ovarian tubes and cæca.
Nervous System.
It has been shown in my former volume, that in Lepas and in some other genera of the Lepadidæ, there are six main ganglions; one supra-œsophageal, and five infra-œsophageal, or thoracic. In Pollicipes, however, there are only four thoracic ganglions, the last ganglion supplying the three posterior pairs of cirri with nerves, whereas in the other genera, the last ganglion supplies only the fifth and sixth pairs of cirri. In this genus, moreover, the lateral fusion of the ganglions has been so complete, that there is no evidence of their having been formed by the union of two. Amongst sessile cirripedes, we discover evidence of much higher concentration even than in Pollicipes. My chief examination has been confined to [Coronula diadema], and to [Balanus tintinnabulum]: and in these genera we find (and the fact appears to me highly remarkable) as high a degree of concentration in the infra-œsophageal ganglion as in any decapod Crustacean, for instance, as in Maia, judging from the figure given by Milne Edwards; for all the nerves, with the exception of those connected with the supra-œsophageal ganglions, radiate from a single great ganglion.[39] The nervous system is, moreover, otherwise complicated.
[39] It must, however, be observed that, according to Mr. Dana, there is in certain suctorial Entomostracans, as in Caligus, only one infra-œsophageal ganglion. Mr. Dana speaks of this as resulting from reduction. In Cirripedes, from the gradation which may be observed from Lepas through Pollicipes into [Balanus], the ganglions are certainly not reduced but concentrated. In Van de Hoeven’s figure of the nervous system in Limulus, there is seen to be no chain of thoracic ganglions; all the nerves rising from the circa-œsophageal collar; but this, on the other hand, seems hardly developed into a ganglion.
To begin with [Coronula diadema] the great infra-œsophageal ganglion (Pl. [27], fig. [1], A) is seated nearly opposite to the anterior margin of the second pair of cirri, which are homologous with the first pair of legs in the decapod Crustaceans. This ganglion shows no trace of any longitudinal medial suture; its shape is hardly discoverable, for it is formed by the union of eleven principal pairs of nerves, besides several arising from its under surface; in outline, however, it may be said to be divided into a posterior and anterior half; the latter being somewhat heart-shaped, and the posterior half elongated. The nerves going to the five posterior pairs of cirri rise from the posterior margin of the ganglion, and run for some distance in a sheet, parallel and close together; the pair, however, going to the second pair of cirri soon branches off from the others. Each of these nerves enters at the inner and posterior margin of the cirrus to which it belongs, and, at least in the case of the first pair, divides into two branches as it enters. The nerves (Pl. [27], fig. [1], r5, r6) going to the fifth and sixth pairs of cirri are more closely united together than are the others, and appear, till they branch off, like a single large nerve. That which belongs to the sixth cirrus gives off, opposite to the fifth cirrus, a branch (s) nearly as large as itself, which enters the probosciformed penis. I may remark, that homologically this is the only abdominal nerve in any cirripede of the Order. From the under side of the nerves which run to the five posterior pairs of cirri, small branches are given off, extending dorsally into the thorax.
The anterior end of the great infra-œsophageal ganglion is formed by the union of a set of nerves, extending parallel in a bundle in a directly opposite direction to those running to the five posterior pairs of cirri. These nerves consist of an outer larger pair (r1) entering the first pair of cirri; and within these, and rather dorsally to their roots, we have the circa-œsophageal chord (c, c), or collar nerve; between the roots of the latter, and on the ventral surface (or near side of the figure), there are three closely united, small pairs, running to the gnathites, and, as I believe, to the olfactory sacks. From the under (or dorsal) surface of the anterior end of the ganglion, two nerves, larger even than the circa-œsophageal chord, and which I shall call the splanchnic pair (d, d) arise; and the singular course of these nerves will presently be described; between this great pair, there is a single (b) medial nerve, which runs down and branches into that large diverging muscle, which is attached to the upper ventral surface of the stomach. Posteriorly to these three nerves, we have two pairs of much smaller nerves (not figured), running dorsally into the body, so that we have seven nerves rising from the under surface of the infra-œsophageal ganglion. I need only further add, that on each side of this ganglion, between the nerves going to the first and second pairs of cirri, there is a moderately sized nerve (k), which appeared to run into the muscles of the thorax: a nerve in a similar position is figured by Milne Edwards in Maia.
The circa-œsophageal chord (c, c) nearly equals in length the whole distance from the centre of the main ganglion to the posterior end of the thorax. This collar bows out on each side, where passing the œsophagus (œ), which is seated at its anterior end. From the collar a branch is given off on each side, which I traced as far as between the mandibles and maxillæ; from analogy with other Crustaceans, it perhaps runs to the mandibles. The collar has not a transverse commissure, such as described by Milne Edwards in the Podophthalmia, and as figured by Van de Hoeven in Limulus.