98 Z. HYDROIDA. Hydiia, 



** Marine species. 

 5. H. ? LiTTORALis, " white; head large ; about 10 extreme- 

 ly short tentacula encircling the base." — Robert Jameson. * 



Hydra lutea? Jameson, in Wem. Mem. i. 565— H. lutea, Flem. Brit. 



Anim. 554 — H. corynaria, Templeton, in Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. 419, fig. 58. 



Hah. Sea shore, adhering- to Fuci. Frith of Forth, Professor 



.Jameson. " Found adhering- to Fucus vesiculosus, at White House 



Point, Belfast Lough, Oct. 1810," J. Templeton, Esq. 



The figure represents a branched animal with enlarged clavate 

 heads encircled round the truncate apex, with tentacula rather short- 

 er than the diameter. — To justify the change I have made in the 

 name, it is only necessary to mention that nothing can be more cer- 

 tain than that this species is not identical either with the Hydra lu- 

 tea or corynaria of Bosc. 



Observations. 



Leeuwenhoek-|- discovered the Hydra in 1703, and the uncomrnon 

 way its young are produced, and an anonymous correspondent of the 

 Royal Society made the same discovery in England about the same 

 time, but it excited no particular notice until Trembley made known 

 its wonderful properties, about the year 1744. These were so con- 

 trary to all former experience, and so repugnant to every established 

 notion of animal life, that the scientific world were amazed ; and while 

 the more cautious among natiu'alists set themselves to verify what it 

 was difficult to believe, there were many who looked upon the al- 

 leged facts as impossible fancies. The discoveries of Trembley were, 

 however, speedily confirmed ; and we are now so familiar with the 

 outlines of the history of the fresh- water polype, and its marvellous 

 reproductive powers, that we can scarcely appreciate the vividness of 

 the sensation felt when it was all novel and strange ; when the lead- 

 ing men of our learned societies were daily experimenting on these 

 poor worms, and transmitting them to one another from distant coun- 

 ti'ies, by careful posts, and as most precious gifts ; and when even 

 ambassadors interested themselves in sending early intelligence of the 

 engrossing theme to their respective courts. 



' The name affixed to tlie specific character is that of the person who, so 

 far as I have been able to ascertain the point, added the species to the British 

 Fauna. — Mr Jameson is the present Regius Professor of Natural History in the 

 University of Edinburgh. 



+ " Antonius v. Leeuwenhoek, civis Delphensis, peritus vitrorum politor, 

 curiosus, et ad paradoxas opiniones pronus." Haller, Bib. Bot. i. 583. He 

 was born 1632 ; elected F. R. S. .January 1680 ; and died in 1723. 



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