PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE 



CHAPTER XII 



THE MECHANISM OF LOVE 



IV. Hermaphrodism. Sexual life of oysters. Gastero- 

 podes. The idea of reproduction and the idea of plea- 

 sure. Mechanism of reciprocal reproduction: helices. 

 Spintrian habits. Reflections on hermaphrodism. 



FISH are the only vertebrates among whom one encoun- 

 ters hermaphrodism, either accidental: cyprins, herrings, 

 scombers; or regular, sargue, sparaillon, seran. The myx- 

 ines, very humble fish living as parasites, are alternative 

 hermaphrodites, like oysters, like ascides; the genital 

 gland functions first as testicle, then as ovary. The 

 amphioxus, the bridge between invertebrates and verte- 

 brates, is not hermaphrodite. The most strongly marked 

 and most complicated forms of hermaphrodism are found 

 in mollusks, and chiefly in gasteropodes. The alternate 

 hermaphrodism of oysters produces effects which have 

 been observed throughout antiquity. The advice to ab- 

 stain from oysters during months lacking an "r" is based 

 on a fact, and that fact sexual. From September to 

 May, they are males, they are testicles, they elaborate 

 sperm, they are good; from June to August the ovaries 

 bourgeon, fill with eggs which turn whitish as they ripen, 

 the oysters are females, they are bad; fecundation takes 

 place at this time, the spermatozoides, born in the pre- 

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