ARE ANEMONES OVIPAROUS? 149 



issue through orifices at the tips of the tentacles — a 

 supposition not very credible. The truth is, that at the 

 bottom of the stomach there is a large opening — not 

 several minute openings as we see figm-ed in books — 

 through which the young pass from the general cavity 

 into the water ; and this appears to me the only exit 

 for the young. Without absolutely denying that the 

 ova are extruded, and their early development carried 

 on out of the parent's body, I have never been able to 

 detect ova, except "vvithin the parent. 



I leave this passage as it originally appeared, al- 

 though, at Jersey, I was subsequently convinced that, 

 with respect to one species at least, the doubt expressed 

 should be withdrawn. In the water of a pan containing, 

 among other animals, specimens of Actinia parasitica, 

 I twice noticed abundance of light-purple ova floating 

 at the surface. Some of these were placed in a vase 

 by themselves, and others left in the pan ; but no 

 further development took place. One day dissecting a 

 Parasitica^ I found in its ovaries the same kind of 

 purple ova. This seems very like evidence that the 

 Parasitica, if no other species, is oviparous ; and it is 

 strengthened by the fact that, as far as my experience 

 extends — and I have had scores of specimens — the 

 Parasitica is not viviparous. The point needs eluci- 

 dation, and the student may amuse himself with it — 

 first by endeavouring to prove the other species to be 

 really oviparous, as well as viviparous ; secondly, by 

 ascertaining whether the Parasitica is viviparous. 



