AND THE LOWER ANIMALS. 269 



sort of cylindrical bud. The little stem of the rose 

 elongates, and becomes terminated by a bud. Up to 

 this period the polypidom, like the plant, is developed 

 almost exclusively at the expense of the stored-up 

 materials ; by the vitellus, in the case of the ovum ; 

 by the cotyledons, in that of the seed. But from 

 the animal bud is produced a polyp provided with 

 tentacles for the capture of prey, and with a suitable 

 digestive apparatus ; whilst the vegetable bud becomes 

 a stem, provided with leaves. In both kingdoms the 

 individuals first produced have for their sole office to 

 supply and prepare the food of the colony. Thanks to 

 their labours, the colony is extended ; new buds appear 

 and become developed, but for a long while they give 

 rise to food-producing individuals only. Evidently, 

 the most pressing necessity is that of founding and 

 extending the colony, and this is the only office with 

 which the first inhabitants of these animal and vege- 

 table cities are charged. 



As soon as the special life of the polypidom and 

 shrub is established, it becomes necessary to provide 

 for the reproduction of these colonies. Then the 

 reproductive individuals appear, male and female 

 polyps, sometimes combined, and in the case of 

 the plant, flowers bearing stamens or pistils, most 

 frequently both. The first produce and fecundate 

 ova ; the second produce and fecundate seeds. All is 

 alike in both kingdoms. The polyp, with distinct 

 sexes, is an animal flower; the flower is a sexual 

 vegetable polyp. 



The individuals successively produced in both shrub 

 and polypidom remain united by a common trunk ; but 

 it is very easy to understand that when a separation 



