( 59 ) 

 TRANSLATIONS, &c. 



Oil the Male reproductive Organs of Campanularia gkniculata 

 {Laornedea geniculata, Lam). By Dr. Max S. Sciiultze, ol 

 (ireifswald. (From Miiller's Archiv. fur Anat. und Physiol. 

 1850.) 



The propa<jation of Campaiiularia geniculata^ described by 

 Loven in 1837,* differs essentially froin the mode of increase 

 observed by V. Beneden in several species of the same g;enus. 

 In the former species ciliated embryos are produced within 

 axillary capsules, from vesicles presenting all the parts of an 

 ovnm, and after a distinct process of segmentation. These 

 embryos, after they have quitted the tunic by which they are 

 surrounded, and which, lesembles an incompletely developed 

 polype, swim about free for some time, and precisely resemble 

 the embryos of Medusa aurita ; they then affix themselves, 

 and grow into a polype resembling the parent animal. In 

 the Campanulas' CB, however, described by Van Beneden, me- 

 dusoid creatures with tentacles, digestive and sensitive organs, 

 are produced, also in axillary capsules ; and which after 

 quitting the capsule swim about free in the water and behave 

 exactly like Medusce. Tliese were regarded by Van Beneden 

 as the embryos. He considers that they are produced from 

 ova^ and supposes that they subsequently affix themselves, and 

 after the obliteration and metamorphosis of some of their 

 organs become Campanularia;. Other obs rvers on the con- 

 trary, particularly Novthiiann and Dujardin, regard these 

 medusiform products of the Campannlaria; as the developed 

 forms of those polypes, believing that in the Medusa; arising 

 in the asexual way, sexual organs are afterwards developed. 

 The Campannlarics consequently would have to be regarded 

 as corresponding to the Strohila form of Medusa aurita. 



Although the decisive proof of Van Beneden's view is still 

 wanting, inasinuch as he has not demonstrated the egg-nature 

 of the germ of the medusiform animalcules, as well as the 

 impregnation by semen necessary, in tliis case, for their 

 development, and as he, as well as Loven, did not discover 

 male seminiferous organs in his Campanularire, still it cannot 



* An observation of KolUker's should here be noticed. He saw in 

 Fennaria Cavolmii capsules with spermatozoids (formation of spermatic 

 filaments in vesicles). It is unfortunate that these capsules and theii' con- 

 tents should not have been more minutely described ; nor has tlie im- 

 portance of the observation been generally recognized. 



