78 



BRITISH HYDROID ZOOPHYTES. 



Fig. 14 A polypite of 

 Plumularia pinnata ex- 

 panded and gorging a 

 worm ; also enlarge- 

 ments of tentacle and 

 dart cells in situ. En- 

 larged. 



(a). The polypite. 



(b). A portion of a tentacle. 

 Much enlarged. 



(c). Eight dart cells, in situ . 

 Magnified. 



The first operation on the 

 part of the polypite was to 

 throw out a number of darts, 

 and then to get the tail end of 

 the worm between the tentacles 

 and gradually draw it down into 

 the stomach. Owing to the 

 mucus on the body of the worm, 

 the darts did not appear to 

 affect it much, and after the 

 lapse of half -an-h our, it was 

 still living, although its tail end 

 was probably being digested in 

 the stomach of the polypite. 



