370 



JV. S. NICKERSON. [\'ol. XVII. 



exactly the same size and stage of development, and those 

 most nearly alike are on opposite sides. The younger buds 

 are near the median plane and the older ones farther from 

 it (PI. XXXII, Figs. I and 2). The oral side of the bud corre- 

 sponds in position with that of the parent. This was observed 

 by Schmidt ('76), and is in agreement with the statement of 

 Davenport ('93) for Endoprocta in general, that the oral side 

 of the bud is always turned toward the region of proliferation. 

 The formation of buds is not dependent upon the sexual con- 

 dition of the parent, for they are as numerous upon the func- 

 tionally male individuals as upon the females. 



The details of the process of bud formation have not been 

 followed, but the observations which I have made appear to be 

 in accordance with the account given by Seeliger ('90). 



With the ordinary buds, which resemble the parent in all 

 essential characteristics, others are occasionally present which I 

 shall describe as abnormal buds. They arise in the same way 

 as other buds and in corresponding positions. They appear 

 quite unlike the normal buds, having small rounded bodies sup- 

 ported upon slender elongated stalks (PI. XXXII, Fig. 14). 

 They lack tentacles, digestive system, sexual organs, and very 

 possibly a brain. Within the body may be distinguished in 

 some cases a rounded mass of cells which, from its position, 

 probably represents the rudiment of a stomach. On either 

 side of this mass is a smaller group of cells which perhaps rep- 

 resents a gonad. The lophophore has a blunt projection on 

 what corresponds with the oral side ; through the action of the 

 highly developed sphincter this is capable of being opposed 

 to the distal margin, thus closing the atrial aperture. The 

 epithelium lining the atrium is shown by sections to be com- 

 posed of large glandular cells whose cytoplasm is filled by 

 granules which stain deeply with acid dyes (orange). 



The relation of these buds to the parent, which is in no way 

 different from that of normal buds, renders it evident that their 

 attachment can endure for but a limited period, while their lack 

 of organs for obtaining and digesting food shows quite as con- 

 clusively that they are incapable of leading an independent 

 existence. More than fifty such buds have been observed, a 



