16 DEVELOPMENT OF 



exactly in the same line, one above the other in each 

 annular division, so that the series appears to form eight 

 longitudinal bands extending from end to end of the 

 body (fig. 22.) In proportion as the contractions be- 

 come deeper, the lobular portions acquire greater mobi- 

 lity, and at the same time an independent vitality, and it 

 seems that the animal is capable of division into as many 

 independent, cup-shaped bodies, as it formerly possessed 

 divisions. And, indeed, this finally takes place as we 

 shall now see. 



The subsequent development consists in fact in this, 

 that the divided portions so often referred to, and which 

 are placed one upon and in the other like a pile of cups, 

 are actually separated one from the other, while at the 

 same time they are elevated one above the other by an 

 alternate motion of contraction and extension (fig. 23,) 

 their lobular appendages increasing in length at the same 

 time. 



In consequence of the movements exerted by each 

 portion and by which the whole stem or pile acquires a 

 vermicular motion, the connexion between them is much 

 loosened, and at last completely dissolved. The separa- 

 tion commences with the upper ones, and close observa- 

 tion then shows that they are actually superimposed one 

 upon the other, like piled-up cups, and without the 

 existence of any organic connexion between them. 



After the complete separation of the cup-shaped bodies 

 from each other, they swim about with the usual peri- 

 staltic motion of the Medusa, and resemble those animals 

 in every respect, and as is the case in them, a quadran- 

 gular extensible mouth depends from the centre of the 

 inferior concave surface ; when this mouth is fully ex- 

 tended, the animal bears no inexact resemblance to an 

 umbrella or parasol. Occasionally the disc is reverted or 

 turned inside out, so that the upper surface becomes 

 concave, and the lower convex, and in this condition, on 

 superficial observation, the mouth would appear to project 

 perpendicularly from the dorsal or upper surface. Al- 



