178 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 
in length, it began to get tentacula. Till it got tentacula, it 
was altogether dependent on the mother for support; and 
it could be seen that the food which was introduced into 
the stomach of the parent, made its way at the point of 
junction into the stomach of the little one. As soon, how- 
ever, as it had got tentacula, it caught prey for its own 
support, and helped also to support the mother; for by the 
application of a lens, he saw that the red worm, for in- 
stance, which it caught and devoured, passed, in part, the 
point of junction, and entered into the stomach of the 
parent. Here the young have a lesson taught them, that 
they should early learn habits of active usefulness, and that 
they should seek to add to the comfort of their parents ; 
but though this is taught, truth constrains us to confess 
that the young polype does not always willingly practise the 
duty; for mother and daughter sometimes lay hold on the 
same prey, and it is only by superior might that the little 
one is forced to yield it. When the young one has got its 
full equipment of tentacula, its body becomes attenuated at 
the base, where it is joined to the older one, so that they are 
connected only by a slender point, and by mutual consent 
they seem disposed to part company. ‘To effect this they 
fasten themselves by their tentacula to different parts of the 
