CHAPTEK I. 



DErARTURE FROM SCILLT— JERSEY — SCHOOLBOY RECOLLECTIONS— CHOICE OF 

 A SPOT — PREJUDICES AGAINST DISSECTION — ZOOLOGY OF JERSEY — TRAWL- 

 ING — DIFFICULTIES OF IDENTIFICATION — A STRANGE ASCIDIAN — THE TAD- 

 POLE EMBRYO OF A MOLLUSC — A PARADOX— DEVELOPMENT OF MEDUSA 

 FROM POLYPES— ALL ANIMALS DO NOT COME FROM EGGS — REPRODUCTION 

 OF THE HYDRA — HISTORY OF PARTHENOGENESIS— A DISCOVERY — ANI- 

 MALS PRODUCED FROM GERM-CELLS ONLY — STEENSTRUP'S THEORY — 

 OWEN'S THEORY — A NEW THEORY — THE THREE FORMS OF REPRODUCTION : 

 FISSIPAROUS, GEMMIPAROUS, AND OVIPAROUS — WHAT IS PARTHENO- 

 GENESIS ? 



After seven weeks, the rocks of Scilly appeared to have 

 seen enough of me. A residence so protracted, astonished 

 and fatigued them. They knew all my varying moods, and 

 one unvarying, not picturesque costume. Familiar with the 

 ring of my hammer, as it chiselled with savage pertuiacity 

 at their granite ribs, they were not less familiar with the 

 compass of my voice, and the extent of my operatic reminis- 

 cences, as, seduced by their solitudes, to the orchestral in- 

 spiration of then- waves I loosened all the power of my lungs 

 in lyrical fervour. For seven weeks had our intimacy lasted, 

 and now there arose the conviction that the time for separa- 

 tion had arrived. Nothing new could possibly be learnt 

 about me. Their curiosity was satisfied, if not satiated ; and 

 my presence began to carry a certain monotony with it. 

 Even the two or three meagre dogs, which sniffed about the 



