HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE. GOSSIP. 



37 



(fig. 13). This act of conjugation which I witnessed 

 began at six o'clock in the morning ; at ten o'clock it 

 had proceeded to the state and form of fig. 14 ; at 

 seven in the evening they bad become as one, with 

 no difference in their appearance from the ordinary 





f 



^ 



Fig. )". K, the flattened or indented body, after the escape of 

 spermatozoa. 



single ones, with the exception of its being a trifle 

 larger, and the two contractile vesicles being still in 

 full action. This Actinophnjs I watched in particular 



Fig. 18. The granular appearance after change from figs. 15 

 and 16 ; L, the formation of ovules. 



when the spines had begun to shorten, and on 

 July 23 the spines were nearly withdrawn (Gg. 15) ; 

 the inner circle of which at D, and fig. 23, E, now 



Fig. 19. The eggs perfectly formed ; 

 M, the very transparent envelope. 



Fig. 90. Egg clear of 

 the envelope ; iV, the 

 marginal lines caused 

 by the contraction of 

 the contents. 



became very irregular and confused. In about four 

 honrs the spines were entirely withdrawn (fig. 23), 

 and the whole was of a dark colour, and appeared to 

 consist of a granular mass. At this stage the edge 

 is seen gently and slowly to undulate (fig. 23, E) ; 

 these pulsations at first I thought to proceed from 



the action of the contractile vesicles, but on seeing 

 them on different parts of the margin at the same 

 time, and their not rising so high or so regular as 

 the vesicles generally do, convinced me that the 

 motion was the effect of some other cause. From 



Fig. 21. Showing the expansion 

 of the original circle; 6', the 

 marginal line widened ; O, the 

 delicate mantle ; P, the spines 

 bent; R, contractile vesicle. 



Fig. 22. The further 

 advance of spines and 

 mantle. 



this state in about four hours the whole globe became 

 transparent (fig. 16), having the resemblance of a 

 piece of lace with rounded patterns worked upon it, 



Fig. 23. Spines entirely withdrawn; E, the irregular inner 

 circle ; F, the undulating surface. 



the centre of each having a darker spot, the whole- 

 surrounded by a pellucid mantle (fig. 16, G). At this 

 time it was still globular in form, but very soon a 



Fig. 24. The perfected A. Eichhornii. 



capsule or vesicle was seen swelling up from it 

 (fig. 16, E), perfectly clear and transparent,|in which 

 could be seen innumerable minute moving bodies » 

 exactly in the same manner as those seen in the 



