EDMUND 11. \VII SON. 



relative size. This colony died eight days after the operation 

 without further change except further development of the axial 

 polyp. 



3. Experiments to test the degree of specification of the per- 

 sons of the polymorphic colony, and the relation between mor- 

 phallaxis and neomorphosis, while not absolutely conclusive, give 

 strong ground for the conclusion that, despite a limited power of 

 heteromorphosis and regulation, as shown by the foregoing ex- 

 periments and those of Torrey, the individual persons are on the 

 whole definitely specified in respect both to the rate of growth 

 and to their axial relations to the colony as a whole. To test 

 this I first tried to see whether the removal of the laree buds 



o 



would result in the more rapid development of the remaining 

 small buds. For this purpose colonies were cut in such a way 

 as to leave only a single small bud attached to the peduncle 

 (Fig. 3 A}. Since this bud (c] is destined to develop into a 

 polyp like the axial one it might have been expected that it 

 would develop at once into a new axial polyp. The fact is quite 

 to the contrary, for the small bud remains stationary while a new 

 axial polyp is produced at the front end of the peduncle (Fig. 3, 

 />, C). In one case, indeed, the small bud completely disap- 

 peared during the process, being apparently absorbed, the whole 

 growth-energy having concentrated in the regenerative process. 

 In the individual figured the small bud remained wholly un- 

 changed while a new axial polyp was regenerated (slightly 

 abnormal in respect to the tentacles), but in the meantime a 

 second bud was formed in the corresponding position on the 

 opposite side of the body ; so that the young colony attained 

 the same condition (Fig. 3, C} as in I 7 ig. 3, D. The comparison 

 of these two cases is interesting, since the same condition was 

 obtained by different methods, both buds being formed anew in 

 the one, while in the other only one bud was produced to form 

 the fellow of the existing one. This indicates that the charac- 

 teristic first stage in the normal development, with a single pair 

 of buds (Fig. i) is a definite ontogenetic stage that represents, 

 as it were, a condition of equilibrium that is first restored after 

 the operation before a second step is taken. A definite mor- 

 phological relation therefore exists between the persons of the 



