34 



EDGAR DAVIDSON CONGDON. 



through the tissue. Glandular activity is evinced in some cells 

 by the deeply staining granular contents which may be seen dis- 

 charging into the enteric cavity. 



Gland cells of another type, most abundant near the mouth, 

 present a striking appearance in the early stages of secretion. 

 Small deeply staining granules form a single layer parallel to, or 

 touching the cell wall near the free end. They are arranged 



with perfect regularity at 

 equal distances and present 

 a sieve-like effect. Certain 

 hydranth cells which other- 

 wise appear the same are 

 full of the granules. I con- 

 sider that the two types rep-- 

 resent earlier and later stages 

 of secretion. In any one 

 hydranth the cells seem to 

 go through the stage of 

 secretion nearly at the same 

 time. The nuclei are smaller 

 than in any other cells of the 

 hydranth. 



Body. The entodenn of 

 the body, as usual, contains 



many glandular digestive cells. They are very large about the 

 internal opening of the hypostome and project downward so far 

 as to form a thick ring which may nearly fill the cavity of a con- 

 tracted hydranth. Some of them are granular and deeply staining. 

 Others are vacuolated and often found in the act of discharging 

 their contents into the enteric cavity. Since transitional cells 

 are present it is probable that the first are earlier stages of secre- 

 tion of a single kind of cell. May, '03, describes similar gland 

 cells in CoryinorpJia pcndula. 



Spherical masses as large as nuclei appear in the gland cells 

 and are given a saffron tint by Ehrlich's triple stain. Their 

 interior is generally homogeneous but may contain a sphere sug- 

 gestive of a nucleolus. No chromatin is found in them. They 

 are frequently given off by gland cells and appear to be the 

 remains of nuclei. 



FIG. 6. 



