74 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



orienting process is not tlie getting of tlie organism into a position 

 where it is not" stimulated or only slightly stimulated, but that, on the 

 oontrar}^ the orientation takes place without any reference to whether 

 the animal is to be stimulated in its end position or not. Furthermore, 

 when the foot end of Hydra becomes loosened from its attachment 

 and the oral end becomes fixed, the organism becomes oriented to the 

 current bj^ exactly the same process as in the former case (contraction 

 on the anode side); but in this case the orientation is with the oral 

 end directed towards the kathoflc, as a mechanically necessary result 

 of the conditions. From this it appears that the placing of one or the 

 other end of the body towards the source of the stimulus is not the 

 essential of orientation, but is rather a result of the relation of the 

 organism to surrounding objects. It is ]»ossible that it may be found to 

 be a general rule that in orientation phenomena the position of the ends 

 of the body with reference to the source of thi^ stimulus is secondary, 

 and that the primary factor is the relation of the longitudinal axis 

 to the lines of action of the stimulus. 



