56 ANTHOZOA HYDROIDA. 



will be found that they have an oblong-round conformation, broadest 

 at the top, and slightly blunted ; smallest at the bottom, and fast- 

 ened by a very short stem to the branch. If considered still more 

 attentively, it will be seen that these eggs (the internal structure is 

 easily observed in consequence of their transparency) seem already 

 to contain within them the most important parts of the future 

 polype. For instance, we observe in the middle a part which in 

 form, &c., corresponds to the knob in the full-grown animal. This 

 part in the various eggs is of various forms : in the smaller ones, 

 round or oblong ; in the large and best developed, perfectly bottle- 

 shaped. Further, there are observed in the upper or broad end of 

 the egg four roundish projecting knots, which internally are con- 

 tinued as tubes downwards to the base of the bottle-shaped part. 

 One of these knots is always larger and longer than the other three, 

 which are alike, and it terminates after a small indentation with 

 another small projecting knot. It therefore occurs to me as not 

 improbable, that the largest knot, with its interior continuation, 

 develops itself as the stem, while the interior bottle-shaped part 

 forms the head of the polype. However much these eggs at the 

 first glance resemble the egg-capsules or fruit-depositors in one kind 

 of Sertularia, I was confirmed in the opinion just expressed, partly 

 because I could not observe any eggs within them, but chiefly 

 on account of another observation which appears to me important. 

 In some of the larger eggs, where the above-mentioned internal 

 parts were particularly plain, I observed very evident, indeed power- 

 ful, movements; inasmuch as the b^^, which seemed already to 

 have reached its full maturity, alternately contracted and expanded 

 itself quickly, and so by this systole and diastole endeavoured to 

 disengage itself from the mother animal. 1 had no opportunity of 

 observing the disengagement or the further development of it.' 



" The language of the above observation is fanciful ; but there can 

 be no question of the accuracy of the statements. 



"We found the Corymorpha in 10-fathom water, in a sandy bottom 

 in the Bay of Stromness, Orkney. When placed in a vessel of sea- 

 water, it presented the appearance of a beautiful flower. Its head 

 gracefully nodded, (whence the appropriate specific appellation given 

 it by Sars,) bending the upper part of its stem. It waved its long 

 tentacula to and fro at pleasure, but seemed to have no power of 

 contracting them. It could not be regarded as by any means an 

 apathetic animal, and its beauty excited the admiration of all who 

 saw it." E. Forbes and J. Goodsi7\ 



