486 C. M. Child 



becomes impossible because of this growth. The same may be 

 said concerning the formation of the "rings" (Fig. 15) and various 

 other "abnormal" results. 



On the other hand, closure of the wound by new tissue may be 

 delayed for months, or may faij entirely to occur simply because 

 the wound possesses a certain direction or because of certain 

 relations existing between it and parts of the body. 



The facts cited seem to force the conclusion that various reac- 

 tions which result under certain conditions in the closure of the 

 wound by new tissue are not adaptively directed toward "restora- 

 tion of the normal form" or any other end. On the contrary, 

 they are very evidently in no way concerned with such restoration 

 for they occur just as readily, provided the proper physical con- 

 ditions are present, in cases where their occurrence renders restor- 

 ation of the normal form impossible and leads inevitably to death. 



It is of interest in this connection to note that Moszkowski in a 

 recent paper takes a very different position. In summing up, he 

 says: 



"Die Ersatzreaktionen bei Actinien lassen jedenfalls erkennen, 

 dass dem Actinienkorper ein immanentes Bestreben innewohnt, 

 erlittene Verletzungen wieder gut zu machen, und zwar stehen 

 diesen Formen mannigfache Arten des Ersatzes zu Gebote. 

 Welche Ersatzreaktion gewahlt wird, hangt von der Hohe ab, in 

 der operirt wird. Es scheint aber, dass ein weiteres Bestreben 

 vorwaltet, immer diejenige Art des Ersatzes zu wahlen, bei der 

 die Restitutio ad integrum am schnellsten erfolgt. Auch wenn 

 verschiedene Arten des Ersatzes in Konkurrenz miteinander 

 treten, wird immer diejenige obsiegen, welche die rascheste 

 Erreichung des zieles garantiert. Es liegt den Ersatzreaktionen 

 bei Actinien also ein exquisit teleologisches Prinzip zugrunde, 

 wobei es vorlaufig noch unausgemacht bleiben soil, ob dieses 

 Prinzip als ein primdres oder sekundar erworheries anzusehen ist" 

 (Moszkowski '07, p. 432). It is impossible to discuss this paper 

 at length here, but the actual results of experiment do not differ 

 very widely from those recorded by others with other species. 

 After careful study of the paper I can say only that the facts 

 cited do not seem to me to afford a basis for conclusions such as 



