THE KENEWAL OF LOST PARTS. 67 



np into two or three fragments in the hope of the head part being 

 able to escape under cover of the consequent confusion. If it be 

 able to do so, in a very short time a number of rudimentary somites 

 appear sprouting from the broken end, and these grow and increase 

 until finally the full and complete size be once again attained. I 

 have seen individuals in all stages of this regeneration, but have 

 never seen the hinder or tail fragment of a ruptured worm reproduce 

 a fresh head, as has been recorded by some writers. Such however 

 would, I believe, be likely to occur were the fracture close to the 

 head, but usually it occurs much nearer to the tail than to the head, 

 and in such cases I feel sure that the tail portion dies. 



