ZOOPHYTES 



are, in fact, accumulations of cnidce those peculiar weap- 

 ons of power, which I shall presently describe in full but 

 here they are symmetrically arranged in single rows, each 

 pointing upward and outward. 



To return to the living specimen on the leaf: you see 

 seated in the angles of the branches here and there ele- 

 gant urn- shaped cells, larger than the polype-cells, each 

 with a sort of shoulder and a narrow neck. The common 

 pith passes from the joint into the bot- 

 tom of these, and then extends through 

 the centre till it reaches the mouth. In 

 some of the urns this forms merely a 

 slender column, expanding at the 

 mouth, but in others it enlarges at 

 irregular intervals into large knobs 

 or masses of granular flesh, which are 

 confusedly grouped together, eight or 

 ten in one capsule. This latter is the 

 most interesting condition; let us 

 watch it. 



While doing so, let me inform you 

 that these urns are the reproductive organs, and the fleshy 

 masses are embryos of peculiar character, which are devel- 

 oped out of the nutrient medulla. The largest of those 

 now under observation is, as you see, moving, and slowly 

 working its way out of its glassy prison. Two or three 

 flexible finger-like bodies are protruding from the orifice 

 of the urn, and more are joining them; we see they are 

 tentacles, protruded in a loose bundle, just as the polype 

 emerges from the cell. 



It is a somewhat slow process; but at length the fleshy 

 mass squeezes itself forth, as if pushed out by some con- 





TENTACLE OF LAOMEDEA 



(flattened). 



