288 On the Hermaphrodite mode of 



was not so fortunate as to succeed in tracing the development 

 of a young" polype from any of them; having accidentally 

 lost two, in which I hoped to have had an opportunity of watch- 

 ing the process. Trembky* mentions his having observed, 

 as he conceived, the formation of a young polype from the 

 egg ; and Pallas t and Laurent % make a similar statement ; 

 but none of these naturalists express themselves with sufficient 

 confidence, nor describe the process with sufficient detail, to 

 satisfy us fully of the fact. 



Dr Thomas Wright, of this place, who has recently de- 

 voted some time to the study of the structure and habits of 

 these interesting animals, informs me that he examined the 

 ovigerous capsules of the long-armed polype {Hydra auran- 

 tiaca) last autumn, and watched their gradual formation on 

 the body of the animal. He observed two of these capsules, 

 of a cream colour, developed on one individual, one of which 

 became detached. From this, when it was burst artificially 

 some days afterwards, there issued a number of ovoidal 

 ciliated bodies, which moved with vivacity through the water, 

 and which, he at first imagined, might be separate ciliated ova, 

 like those of some other polypes. This appears to me, how- 

 ever, extremely doubtful ; and Dr Wright states, in a commu- 

 nication he has made to me on the subject, that the polype 

 appeared to be in an unhealthy state ; and I am inclined to 

 think that the ciliated bodies were polygastric animalcules 

 such as I have repeatedly seen preying with avidity upon the 

 bodies of polypes when in a very weak condition, or in com- 

 mencing decomposition. 



Lastly, it may be stated that while some of the individuals 

 of the species Hydra are, as I have now described them, bi- 

 sexual or hermaphrodite, others appear to bear the organs of 

 one sex only. 



The observations I have detailed suggest some general re- 

 flections of interest. With many others of the same kind, they 

 point out the multitude of the resources of Nature, and almost 



• Mfmoirei. "f Pallas, Karakterjstik der Thierpflanzen, p. 53. 



X Laurent, in Frorieps Ntue Notizen, No. 513, p. 101. 



