10ft Dr Gram's Observations on the 



with his figures. He states that the tentacula appear to be 

 filled with globules of air ; that the polypus can withdraw the 

 tentacula into its mouth ; that the body of the polypus is not 

 thicker than a hair ; and that the polypi die contracted. He 

 mentions also that each of the round red globules which are 

 discharged through the mouth, is an ovarium, containing, 

 within a distinct capsule, a multitude of small eggs hke those 

 of a fly, an appearance which he has represented in the figures, 

 and he is thence led to inquire whether all zoophytes may not 

 in the same manner be oviparous. It is singular that this 

 author commences his observations by stating that Mr Ellis 

 generally mistook the ova of zoophytes for ovaria, an error 

 which he has not shown to belong to the great British zoophy- 

 tist, but which he has himself obviously committed with re- 

 gard to the Lobularia. Lamouroux has corrected some of 

 the errors of Spix, and has given elegant magnified figures to 

 illustrate the anatomy of the polypi of this animal, (Hist, des 

 Pol. PI. XI 11.^ ; but as he examined the Lobularia only in 

 .spring, he could detect no trace of ova or ovaria in its struc- 

 ture, and was therefore unfortunately prevented from throw- 

 ing any light on this interesting part of its economy. 



On laying open the white Lobularia in the direction of its 

 canals; I found in all these cavities numerous small red-co- 

 loured spheres of a regular form and soft consistence, and about 

 the fifth of a line in diameter. Many of them much smaller, 

 and of a white colour, adhered to longitudinal white lines at 

 the upper end of the canals. There were several of these lon- 

 gitudinal rows of ova at the base of each polypus, and most of 

 them were connected by peduncles or tubes to the white lon- 

 gitudinal folds of the canals. The smallest had the strongest 

 connection, those of a larger size were connected only by a 

 slender filament, and the largest red ova were quite free. The 

 white folds to which the ova adhere, are continuous with the 

 eight longitudinal folds seen within the polypi. There were 

 generally about twenty small white ova in each canal, besides 

 ten or twelve perfectly formed, and of a red colour. Most of 

 the mature ova were collected together near the basis of the 

 polypi, where they were quite loose, of a deep red colour, and 

 of a larger and more equal size than those attached to the 



