162 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



twenty-four hours, when it was rejected, together with 

 a numerous brood of thirty-eight young Actiniae, some 

 of them very large. 



On a similar occurrence, rejecting the undigested 

 food, a different specimen disgorged fourteen animated 

 beings, after being ten months in confinement. Six 

 of the fourteen proved to be corpuscula, like those 

 above described ; and these were carefully separated, 

 committed to various vessels, and set apart for more 

 attentive investigation. 



They differed in nothing of importance from those 

 extracted artificially from the tentacula : all were 

 very minute, and they continued so for some time. 

 Four were spherical; two consisted of two spheres 

 united, exhibiting motions according to their form. 

 Sometimes they reposed, sometimes they moved ; 

 their excursions were longer or shorter, though always 

 laboured, as if the power of their natatory organs were 

 inadequate to overcome the resistance. 



The motion of these embryonic corpuscles con- 

 tinued eight days ; but the shape of some was chan- 

 ging, and elongating prominences were rising on 

 others. Their form improved, and it was evident 

 that they would certainly become Actinias. 



In ten days more the rudiments of tentacula be- 

 came visible in the largest, and in other two days the 

 tentacles were six in number ; the movements of the 

 rest had now relaxed, and they also exhibited obscure 

 indications of tentacula; they resembled elongated 

 caps with a convex base. Some were still devoid of 

 any perceptible prominences ; an internal organization 

 could be discerned through the sides of others. 



