THE CLAVIFORM POLYPES. 31 



animals, which are destined for the propagation of the 

 species, and that there are probably both males and 

 females among them. In Syncoryne ramosa, Sars (Loven, 

 1. c.,) and Coryne vulgaris (R. Wagner, Icones Zootomicse, 

 1. c.,) the ova are seen to be formed in the bell-shaped 

 individuals while still attached to the polype ; in Coryne 

 fritillaria, and probably in Corymor^ha nutans Sars : 

 the ova are not formed until the beU-shaped animals have 

 become detached, and have acquired their perfect develop- 

 ment into the form of medusa-like creatures. Agreeably 

 to the conclusions at which I have arrived in the preceding 

 section, I see in the Coryne itself only a previous genera- 

 tion of preparative " nurses," which are so far asexual, 

 inasmuch as that their generative organs are not de- 

 veloped. 



I cannot here forbear remarking upon a Medusa pa- 

 pillata observed by Abildgaard near Heligoland, and 

 figured in ' Zool. Dan.' (tab. cxl,) as being an acalephoid 

 animal exhibiting such a close similarity with the bell- 

 shaped bodies nourished by the Coryne, that one would 

 be readily inclined to look upon it as such. If this figure 

 be compared with that by Loven of the more globular 

 campanulate animals attached to Syncoryne Sarsii, Wieg- 

 man's Archiv, (1837, tab. vi, fig. 25,) the resemblance 

 will be found very striking. 



Should future inquiry determine, what, however, I by 

 no means doubt, that the whole family of claviform 

 polypes in the genera Coryne, Syncoryne, Corymorpha, is 

 only a stage or generation in the development of forms, 

 which when perfect closely resemble Medusce without 

 it being possible to arrange them together, all these 

 genera as such must be abolished, since they include 

 forms or individuals, which do not represent the perfect 

 state of the species to which they belong. The more 

 perfect forms, however, notwithstanding then' resemblance 

 to Medusae, must still occupy the systematic place of the 

 claviform Polypes or Corynae, as animals closely allied to 

 Tubularia, Sertularia, &c. 



