lOO EDWARD POTTS : 



although I could not see that it was then held by anything 

 stronger than the lasso threads of the poison darts thai had 

 pierced it.* In a few moments, however, the everted lips had 

 grasped the projected head of the worm ; then more energetic 

 struggles were again ineffective to release it, and its doom 

 was evidently sealed. 



In about fifteen minutes the stomach proper was reached, 

 and as I continued to watch, group after group of the podal 

 setce disappeared from view, although life was manifested by a 

 squirming motion, more particularlj^ of those portions of the 

 worm not yet absorbed, but now shrunken to one-half or less 

 of its formerly extended length, bringing the groups of setcs 

 into close proximity to each other. In this case, as before, 

 an imprisoned rotifer, still living, was forced backward by the 

 narrowing orifice and liberated in the same way, but without 

 then showing any signs of life. 



The interposed pedal disc, supplemented by a mass of 

 accumulated debris, precluded the possibility of determining 

 with certainty whether the stomach passage is continuous 

 throughout the two branches of a bifid hydroid. This is pre- 

 sumable, however, from our observation of the change in 

 shape and opacity of the inactive half during engorgement 

 by the other; and was almost, if not fully, confirmed the 

 next morning by the sight of quantities of indigestible sctc€ 

 that had been disgorged through both mouths of the hydroid, 

 accompanied by other rejected matter, more or less granular. 

 Their position and appearance are shown in Plate I, Figures 

 3 and 4. 



July ist. The opacity of both branches of this Microhydra 

 very gradually diminished as digestion proceeded, with the 

 exception that at one place, near the attachment of the more 

 active branch, it was noticed to continue and for a while even 

 to deepen, indicating a coming change. The inauguration, at 

 that place, of the growth and final liberation of a larval bud, 



* Query — Do they have any tensile or retentive power? 



