$2 C. M. CHILD. 



and thirty-six days after operation. The region distal to the 

 incision is somewhat shorter than in the early stages but it still 

 shares in the distension of the body, the tentacles are fully func- 

 tional and the tissues appear to.be in perfectly healthy condition. 

 The termination of my stay at La Jolla made further observations 

 impossible, but there can be little doubt that this region would 

 have remained intact and normal almost or quite as long as other 



FIG. 5. 



FIG. 6. 



portions of the body. The fact that the tentacles of the region 

 in question are often somewhat shorter than others is probably 

 to be accounted for by nutritive conditions. The animals are 

 undergoing slow starvation and apparently the material of the 

 more proximal regions is used in greater or less degree in main- 

 taining the more distal regions. But the region distal to the 

 incision is only indirectly in organic connection with the proximal 

 regions and therefore, in all probability, uses up its own material 

 somewhat more rapidly than other portions of the body. 



These two series of experiments seem to me to demonstrate 

 that the conditions resulting from distension of the enteric cavity 

 with fluid are necessary for the persistence of the body-wall and 

 tentacles. When the incision is made distal to the level of the 

 ostia the region distal to it cannot share in the distension of other 

 parts and consequently undergoes complete atrophy in about a 

 month. When the incision is made proximal to the level of the 

 ostia this region shares in the distension of other parts and shows 



