84 ZOOPHYTES. 



scarcely perceptible, still connected the animals, a, b, c. Of these two latter, 

 f, b, the larger was c, the younger having perhaps got more food. Next 

 day, May 30, the group appeared as in Fig. 6. 



Within a fortnight, that is, on June 12, the whole group, from its new 

 accessions, consisted of the earlier three, a, b, c, now far apart, and of d, f, i, 

 being six in maturity. Besides these, a large protuberance, g, was issuing 

 from the base of a, the previous site of e, or nearly so ; which last, e, had 

 detached itself, and was abandoned. A protuberance likewise rose from 

 c— Fig. 7. 



A seventh perfect hydra had come from one side of c, on June 16 ; 

 and in four days the colony consisted of eight. 



The number of independent animals still continued eight on July 7. 

 But concomitant changes prognosticated the difficulty of observing their 

 progress much longer. Reproductions from each of the whole, were ad- 

 vancing, and particularly conspicuous in the larger, a, b, c Some of their 

 embryos exhibited the rudiments of tentacula ; and spurs, which generally 

 distort the specimen, were visible on the other five. — Fig. 8. The eight 

 perfect animals are a, b, c, d, f, (/, h, i. 



On the 21st of July, or within three months, the specimen, fig. 3, 

 distinguished only by a spur and a protuberance, on April 27, had 15 de- 

 scendants, the whole having germinated from itself and its progeny. One 

 or two others were lost by separation. Thirteen, all of various age and 

 dimensions, were dispersed in adhesion over the cavity of the watch- 

 glass, and two lay below. — Fig. 9. 



Some, such as d, d, had subdivided ; others were still connected by a 

 ligament. 



Now it appears that a, the original parent, was the lowest of the 

 group. 



But the progress of this colony could not be conveniently prosecuted 

 farther, for the watch-glass, obscured by the muddy deposit of sea-water, 

 precluded distinct observation. The slight adhesion of the young, as well 

 as of their progenitors, proved an invincible obstacle to attempting its re- 

 moval and purification. Therefore this group was abandoned. 



Many objects, originally clean and beautiful, become foul and disco- 



