298 THE CEPUALOPODA. *§>§ 2G0, 261. 



still at the bottom of the female genital organs ; for, later, the action of the 

 sperm would be obstructed by their solid envelopes. It must, therefore, be 

 supposed that the sperm is carried from the cavity of the mantle into the 

 ovarian capsule, either by means of the anti-peristaltic movements of the 

 oviduct, or by the aid of the aquiferous system.*^' 



§ 260. 



With the individuals hitherto known as the Hectocotyli, the genital organs 

 occupy a space disproportionably large to the size of the body. The round, 

 smooth enlargement on their posterior extremity is a genital capsule, with 

 thin walls, and containing the sperm and the eopulatory organs.*^' The 

 sperm forms a long, moniliform, clustered string, composed of thick oval 

 bundles of spermatic particles, regularly bound together by fasciculi of 

 hair-like spermatic particles.'-'* In this clustered string are included, also, 

 the Ductus ejaculatorius and the very long and retractile penis. With 

 Trcmoctojms violaceus, this penis sometimes projects between the fifth of 

 the posterior pair of suckers, as a small cylindrical, folded prolongation. '*' 



§ 261. 



The Development of the Cephalopoda is almost without analogy, and, 

 from the remotest times, has excited the curiosity of Naturalists; but it is 

 only very recently that it has been correctly understood and followed from 

 its first stages.*'' 



After the disappearance of the germinative vesicle, the vitellus divides ; 

 but this segmentation is only partial. Usually, at the acute extremity of the 

 vitellus, where the germinative vesicle is found, there appears a small 

 elevation from the vitelline mass, divided into halves by a fiirrow. Each 



5 Accoriliug to Kiilliker (Entwickel. &c. p. 11), had become free from an accidental rent of the 



the eggs are fecundated whUe yet contained in the genital capsule, 

 ovarian capsule. 1 Aristotle (Hist. Animal, lib. V. cap. 16, 4), 



1 See Hectocolyliis octopodis, in Ann. d. Sc. and in the last century, Ccwolini (Abhandl. iibcr 



Nat. loo. cit. fi,^. 1-3, b. die Erzeugungder Fische u. d. Krebse, 1792, p. 54) 



'■i I have so observed it with the males of Tremoc- had already declared that, with Sf7)ia, the vitelline 



tujiux violaceus ; and Dnjnrdin, also (Hist. Nat. sac is situated on the hea<l of the embryo, and, as 



<i. Helminth, p. 482), has observed a smooth cord it were, hanging from the mouth ; but it is only 



composed of capillary spermatic particles with latterly that this statement has been thoroughly 



Hectocolyliis octopodis, Cuv. verified -, see Froricp, Das Thierreich, Ahth. V. 



I am uncertain as to the origin of this cord, but, 1806, p. 28, ftg. 8-10 ; Carus, Erlauterungstaf. Hft. 



in the specimens preserved in alcohol, which I have III. 1831, p. 10, Taf. II. fig. 16-30 ; Ciivier, Sur 



examined, it appeared probable that it was prima- les oeufs de Seiche, in the Nouv. Ann. du Mus. I. 



rily contained in the deferent or in the testicular 1832, p. 153, PI. VIII. fig. 6-14, also in abstract 



canal. in Ann. d. Sc. Nat. XX\l. 1832, p. 69, or Frnriep^s 



'■' The Ductus ejaculatorius of Trernoctopus Notlz. XXXIV. p. 19'J ; Coldstream, On the foetus 



violaceus, which is gradually continuous into the of Sepia officinalis, in the Loud, and lidinb. philos. 



penis, begins by a well-marked, clavate thickening, Magaz. Oct. 1833, or Froricp''s Notiz. XX.XIX. p. 



projecting into the genital capsule, and apjiarently 6 ; Dug^es, Note sur le developpement de I'embryon 



perforated at its upper extremity, at which point, chez les MoUusques cejihalopodes, in Ann. d. Sc. 



perhaps, the sperm enters. Near the end of the Nat. VIII. 1837, p. 107, I'l. V., or Froriep''s neue 



penis, this canal has, over a considerable extent, Notiz. VII. p. 209, fig. 3-9.; £)'Oc/)jirn_i/-, in FerM.s- 



small horny tuliercles, and it is pvoliable that this sac, loc. cit. Lolifro, PI. X. tig. 3-6 ; ^'aH Beneden, 



portion can be everted, thus allowing the possi- Recherches sur l'eml)ryogenie des Sepioles, in the 



bility of an intimate union with the female organs. Nouv. Mem. de I'.Vead. de Uruxelles, XIV. 1841, 



I am unable to say whether tliis is so with the other PI. I.; Delle Ctiiaje, Deseriz. I. p. 38, Tav. VI. 



ffectocotyli. The penis of tiectocoty/us argo- fig. 6, 7 (Sepia), Tav. XIV. tig. 14-24 {Ars:onau- 



nautac, according to a figure of Oelle Chiaje (loc. ta), and Tav. XXIX. fig. 2-5 (Sepiola). But the 



cit. Tav. XVI. fig. 1, a), and Costa (loc. cit. PI. first phases of their development remained unob- 



XIII. fig. 2 >, c), projects from the posterior ex- served, until A'o//i7te;-, in 1844, filled tliis deficiency 



tremity of the body ; Init it may be, that with the by his masterly work — Entwickelungsgeschieh- 



Bpccimens examined by these naturalists, this organ te der Cephalopoden. 



