SPERMATOZOA MIXGLED WITH OVA. 173 



of observation can only be estimated by those who 

 have tried it. Eapp declared there was no trace of the 

 male organs. " All the Actiniae are females/' he says 

 boldly. Wagner having discovered, as he thought, sper- 

 matozoa in the convoluted bands, pronounced those 

 bands to be the reproductive organs of the male ; and 

 this statement was accepted and repeated from book to 

 book. It is now known that Wagner was mistaken ;* 

 perhaps he had removed a portion of the ovary with 

 the convoluted band, and in that case he might have 

 seen true spermatozoa. " What !" exclaims the reader, 

 " spermatozoa in the ovary ? And pray, sir, how gat 

 they there ?" They were generated there, is my simple 

 answer ; but before such an answer will be received a 

 few remarks are necessary. 



Believing in the simplicity of this animal's organis- 

 ation, and disbelieving in the existence of any proper 

 ovary, I was naturally led a priori to disbelieve in the 

 existence of male reproductive organs. If a temporary 

 specialisation of the lining membrane sufficed as an 

 ovaiy, would not a similar specialisation suffice as a 

 testis ? Meditating on this point, it occurred to me as 

 very probable that the same spot of the lining mem- 

 brane might subserve both purposes. What said Fact 

 to so plausible a Theory ? At first it answered by what 

 seemed like blank negatives ; on three fortunate occa- 

 sions, however, it seemed to answer in unequivocal 

 affirmation, for I found real spermatozoa moving amid 



* This leaves the function of the convohited bands a mystery. In 

 Part III. Chap. II., towards the close, the question is touched on. 



