62 ON THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE 



full-o^rown is from one-third to one-half a line, their slmpe is 

 that of an elonsated vase with somewhat sinuous walls, the 

 sinuosities corresponding to the globules contained in the 

 interior. 



Tlieir peduncle commences with the same peculiar annular 

 formation as is found in all CamjmnularicB at the origin of 

 each bud. 



The separate spherical bodies by which tliis capsule is 

 filled, to the naked eye appear of a whitish-yellow colour ; 

 they are larger and more opaque towards the wider, upper 

 end of the capsule, and smaller and more transparent towards 

 the peduncle. Each of them is surrounded by a thin mem- 

 brane, and the whole together by a common transparent 

 envelope. Into each globular mass is continued a process of 

 the common nutritive substance entering the capsule (intes- 

 tinal tube of Loven), which is continued uninterruptedly 

 throughout the whole polypidom ; this process extends beyond 

 the semidiameter of the globular body, and tlsere terminates 

 in a caecal extremity. This nutritive substance of the con- 

 tents of the capsule, having thus furnished a supply to each 

 globule, expands beneath the horny cover of the capsule over 

 its entire extremity, exactly as it is figured by Loven in the 

 female capsules. Within this nutritive substance may be 

 perceived a lively motion of granules probably produced by 

 vibratile cilia. 



If one of these capsules, containing six or seven globules, 

 be ruptured by compression under the covering glass, whilst 

 in the microscope, the globules are seen to escape sometimes 

 at the upper end, after rupture of the lid sometimes at the 

 lower, if the capsule has been previously cut off from its 

 peduncle, at the same time being emptied of their contents, 

 so that it is easy now to recognize all the parts of them. 



The uppermost globules contain fully-formed spermatozoids 

 usually in active motion, with a minute round head scarcely 

 O'OOOl'" in size, and a long, excessively delicate, appendage, 

 distinctly perceptible only under very strong illumination, 

 which vibrates actively backwards and forwards. 



The motion of the spermatozoids cannot be perceived in 

 the unopened globule, on account of the vast multitude 

 assembled together — it is apparent only after the contents 

 have been diluted with water. 



The globules situated lower down in the capsule contain 

 no perfectly-developed spermatozoids, but present them in 

 various stages of development in the following order, pro- 

 ceeding from below to above. 



The lowermost, smallest globules contain densely-crowded, 



