Archive image from page 50 of The cyclopædia of anatomy and. The cyclopædia of anatomy and physiology cyclopdiaofana0401todd Year: 1847 POLYPIFERA. 29 well described by Spix, and subsequently more in detail by Milne Edwards in the paper above referred to. The following is the re- sult of Spix's observations. ' The mouth is a small rounded aperture, which is very dilatable, and communicates immediately with the stomach. The mouth is surrounded by eight tentacles, having a papillary surface, and they appear to contain internally a multitude of little air bubbles. They are very sensible, for as
Archive image from page 50 of The cyclopædia of anatomy and. The cyclopædia of anatomy and physiology cyclopdiaofana0401todd Year: 1847 POLYPIFERA. 29 well described by Spix, and subsequently more in detail by Milne Edwards in the paper above referred to. The following is the re- sult of Spix's observations. ' The mouth is a small rounded aperture, which is very dilatable, and communicates immediately with the stomach. The mouth is surrounded by eight tentacles, having a papillary surface, and they appear to contain internally a multitude of little air bubbles. They are very sensible, for as soon as they are touched they retract, and the animal re- tires into its cell. ' The polype is retained in its domicile by a muscular membrane, which is very distinct from the walls of the stomach, and is almost cylindrical ; it descends from around the mouth, and is fixed to the edges of the cell; it appears to form the tentacles and the sto- mach, as in Actinia. The contraction and extension of the polype is effected by this membrane.' For many days during which Spix watched these polypes he observed little globular bodies to ascend from beneath the stomach and issue at the mouth. By pressing gently he saw them glide as by a little orifice into the sto- mach, and by the same proceeding he suc- ceeded in pushing them under it. Having raised the muscular membrane at the point where it is fixed to the polype, he perceived at the bottom of the cell, and be- neath the stomach, seven or eight globules contained in a bent canal {ovary), placed in a row. They gave to the canal the appearance of a row of vesicles. The globules are round ; those which are most developed red, each enclosing a multitude of ova. ' When the animal is drawn out of its shell, by tearing the muscular membrane, the ovary detaches itself from the stomach and remains at the bottom of the cell. But there is an- other grey body like a tail, which follows the stomach, and is attached to it opposite to the ovary.
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