60 



LIFE, IN ITS LOWER FORMS. 



died out, successively, as young ones continually shoot 

 forth at the extremities of the branches. 



At certain seasons of the year peculiar vesicles appear, 

 which are special organs of reproduction. The analogy to 

 a plant is maintained here also; we have already seen the 

 development of a stem with buds, growing into twigs and 

 branches ; here we have the fruit-capsules bearing the 

 germs of another generation. 



Sometimes we find these organs few in number, seated 

 here and there in the angle formed by the branches, or 

 by the buds with the stalk. At other times they are very 

 numerous, crowded together on the stalk, projecting in 

 regular succession in the same plane, w T hich forms a right 

 angle to the arrangement of the cells. Each of the cap- 

 sules or vesicles is a tall, vase-like, transparent body, 

 considerably larger than a cell, but closely resembling it, 

 except that its summit is abruptly narrowed to a short 

 rim like a pitcher. One of these organs is represented in 

 ng. b. 



The common nutrient flesh permeates the capsule as 

 it does a ceil, and develops therein a very peculiar em- 

 bryo. When somewhat matured, the permeating tube is 

 seen swollen out into separate ovate sacs, ten or more in 

 number, each of which contains several embryos. Those 

 nearest the mouth of the vesicle are first developed, and 

 escape successively by slowly emerging from the pitcher- 

 like rim. Fig. c represents a vesicle much magnified, with 

 its included embryos in various degrees of maturity, and 

 one in the act of escaping. The appearance of the tiny 

 creature when it finds itself at liberty is most surprising 

 and interesting, especially when, from a crowded forest of 



