4 
mmediately distinguished from the polype cells, by tb® 
irregularity ot their distribution, their greater size and by 
their being urn-shaped, having narrow bases by which they 
are attached to the polypidom, and contracted and terrain 1 * 
apertures through which the geramules escape into the se»- 
These vesicles when first formed, are filled with a gran'd 11 ' 
pulp of an uniform consistence; it soon, however, gets daf» 
towards its centre and decreases in bulk, leaving the sides ot 
the vesicle free; the pulp now looks like a central column 
running from the base to the neck, which is closed. T ] ,e 
pulp still bears the appearance of the central pith or of 8 
rudimentary polype, without a mark to indicate the form 8 " 
tion of the geramules ; and up to this point the formation oI 
the geramules is alike in all the Sertulariad<e, though the/ 
differ in some measure afterwards. In the Laomedea g en K 
culata the surface of the pulp soon gets furrowed and marke* 
into indistinct globules with a darkish centre; aud as <i e ' 
velopcment goes on the geramules get more distinct fro* 1 ' 
each other, and the central dark spot of a deeper tint, m<> rfl 
defined, and the part surrounding it more transparent, resem' 
filing the albuminous zone of the common egg ; and the/ 
finally escape in this manner, till all the pulp contained in tb e 
vesicle has been converted into reproductive geramules. *. 
a kindred species, the L. gelatinosa a different method |S 
pursued. In it the pulp fills the vesicle as in the case abo*'* 5 ’ 
and the surface becomes marked aud irregular, forming 
tb« 
first appearance of the future germs. They then appear m° r f 
distinctly, and as if formed from the pulp itself; they rap* 1 '^ 
get more and more defined, and stand in relief from ®® c , 
other, remaining attached to the central placental column by 
minute umbilical cords. These cords getting more and vno* 6 . 
attenuated are finally ruptured and the gemraules float 8 
liberty within the cell. The vesicles being closed, _ ' 
gemmules are hindered from escaping; but, whether h 01 
pressure or a vital process, the upper portion rapidly S‘ 
ets 
thinner aud more transparent and is finally ruptured, 
geramules then escaping into the surrounding fluid. Judg ,n ® 
from a figure of Ellis’ it would appear that a polype is so» ie s 
times formed in these vesicles ; aud Jones in his “ Outli® 
of the Animal Kingdom” has given a similar figure with 
explanation ;* such an appearance, however, I have o eV 
seen, though I have examined hundreds, or perhaps . 
sands of living specimens. The reproductive genira* 1 * 15 ’ 
which are now at liberty, are rapidly whirled about > r 
place to place, stopping occasionally as if in search 0 e 
situation on which to fix. The motions of these m> Dtt 
Page 46. 49. 
