Fig. 33. Female generative organs of Peripatus capensis, × 5. (From a rough drawing by Prof. Balfour.) The following note was appended to this drawing: “Ovary rather to dorsal side, lying in a central compartment of body-cavity and attached to one of the longitudinal septa, dividing this from the lateral compartment between the penultimate pair of legs and that next in front. The oviducts cross before opening to the exterior, the right oviduct passing under the rectum and the left over it. They meet by opening into a common vestibule, which in its turn opens below the anus. On each side of it are a pair of short papillæ (aborted feet?).”
F. 16, 17. Last two pairs of legs. od. Oviduct. ov. Ovary. ut. Uterus. v.c. Nerve-cord.
Plate 53.
Figs. 34-39. Five young embryos of Peripatus capensis; ventral view. All, excepting Fig. 37, from drawings by Miss Balfour. In figures 34 to 38a denotes what is probably the anterior extremity.
Fig. 34, Stage A. Youngest embryo found, with slightly elongated blastopore.
Fig. 35, Stage B. Embryo with three mesoblastic somites and elongated blastopore. The external boundaries of the somites are not distinct.
Fig. 36, Stage C. Embryo with five somites. The blastopore is closing in its middle portion.
Fig. 37, Stage D. The blastopore has completely closed in its middle portion, and given rise to two openings, the future mouth and anus. (From a rough drawing left by Professor Balfour.) (Zeiss A, Camera Oberhaus. on level of stage.)
The following note was appended to this drawing in his handwriting: “Young larva of Peripatus capensis. I could not tell for certain which was the anterior end. Length, 1.34 mm.”
Fig. 38, Stage E. Embryo with about thirteen mesoblastic somites in which the flexure of the hind part of the body has commenced. The remains of the original blastopore are present as the mouth, placed between the second pair of mesoblastic somites, and the anus placed on the concavity of the commencing flexure of the hind part of the body.