50 Anatomy of Sagartia Schilleriana [No. 1, 



physiological signification of the craspeda is to some extent that 

 of secretive organs, as liver, gall, panacreas &c, being essential 

 for the digestion of the food. It would be probably going too far 

 in stating that the ready chylus is also conveyed through the craspeda 

 to the body, though the anatomical structure of their central portion 

 is not directly opposed to this opinion. There can be however, little 

 doubt that by the numerous marginal cnidce, the craspeda have 

 among others the object of protecting the generative organs from any 

 injury which could be produced by the objects taken internally as 

 food. The acontia evidently only serve for external defence, they do 

 not seem to have any other physiological duties to perform. 



Passing these remarks, I may return to the history of our specimen. It 

 remained in the less active state, as previously described, for about 8 or 

 10 days. After this time it generally somewhat retracted the tentacles 

 raised the disk and the lips (pi. X, fig. 7), and began to emit from the 

 mouth a granular substance, the granules appearing, as I have already 

 noticed, to be eggs in very early stages of development. The white 

 substance was extremely viscous, and in irregular masses more or 

 less resembling contorted strings. The next day I observed that, 

 besides the white substance, there also were pale yellowish strings 

 issued, containing the very minutest spermatozoa, as above described 

 (p. 47). This issue of white substance, with eggs (?) and spermatozoen 

 follicles lasted in intervals for two days, after which the specimen began 

 to expand and contract its body in various ways. The tentacles were 

 reduced to about half their usual length, the lips were projecting, the 

 disc was occasionally produced, then again retracted, the collar more 

 or less inflated, and at the same time, either the upper or the lower 

 part of the body attenuated and extended, sometimes to more than 

 double the usual length, (see pi. X, figs. 6, 8, 9). These various 

 transformations of the body were observed for about 8 hours, during 

 which time the Sagartia left its former place of attachment, (being a 

 small piece of wood) and was seated at the bottom of the aquarium, 

 on a horizontal ground. The next morning the specimen was found 

 flat, perfectly turned inside out, exhibiting all the internal organs, 

 (pi. XI, fig. 1). The acontia, craspeda, and even the tentacles shewed 

 subsequently signs of vitality for more than 24 hours. Upon examining 

 the figured, and another specimen which died under similar conditions, 



