ZOOPHYTES. 



379 



Here, then, we have one of the tentacles flattened 

 between the glass plaites, but still retaining its integrity. 

 We find that the thickenings are similar in character to 

 those of the tentacles of Sarsia, which we lately ob- 

 served. They are, in fact, accumu- 

 lations of cnidcB — those peculiar 

 weapons 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 elegant urn-shaped cells, 

 larger than the polype-cells, each 

 with a sort of shoulder and a nar- 

 row neck. The common pith passes 

 from the joint into the bottom 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 developed 

 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 pi-ison. Two or 

 three flexible finger-like bodies are protruding from the 



^^m 



mM 



TENTACLE OP LAOMEDIA ; 



flattened. 



