DISCOVERY OF THE OVARIES, 161 



on the 1 2th June I was fortunate enough to confirm all doubts 

 by the discovery of the real ovaries (such as they are) in a 

 large Crassicornis : here there were no thread-capsules, but 

 abundance of unmistakable ova, each with its " vesicle of 

 Purkinje." The thrill of delight with which the assurance 

 broke upon me may be conceived.* At that time I, of course, 

 believed that the grape-like cluster in which the ova were 

 lying, were true and permanent ovaries ; but having since 

 been frequently unable to detect them in adult specimens, and 

 never in young specimens, I came to the conclusion that these 

 ovaries are temporary organs, formed by an accumulation 

 of germ-cells in various parts of the free border of the 

 septa ; that, in fact, they represent the first rudimentary 

 state of what in higher animals becomes the special organ. 

 This conclusion is, however, purely theoretical, and I will 

 now state what any one may see who examines an adult 

 fresh from the rock-pool or tank. With a rapid but not 

 deep incision we lay open the envelope from the outside ; 

 the convoluted bands will bulge through the opening ; but 

 if we are vigilant and brush these aside, w^e shall perceive 

 certain lobular or grape-like masses of darker colour, almost 

 entirely hidden by these bands, but growing from the septa. 

 (Plate III, fig. 2, represents a section of the Actinia, show- 

 ing the ovaries lying under the convoluted bands, and 

 attached to the septum ; fig. 3 the ovary, when spread out 

 on a glass slide.) They are not situated in any precise spot ; 



* I subsequently ascertained that Mr Teale and M. Hollard had described 

 these ovaries ; I only claim priority in the elucidation of their sti-ucture and 

 function, as temporary organs, similar to those of the Hydra. 







