261

Port Famine

1834 June

Holuthuria 975 PL.13, F.5 Is pretty closely allied to Fist: (P 141): found crawling amongst roots of Kelp in mud.— length in this state 5 to 7, narrow.— Color dirty pale flesh color.— semi-transparent, smooth; with transverse fibres in bundles.— 5 internal longitudinal bands.— Anus blunt with very extremity rather pointed; capable of much distention with water.— Mouth surrounded by 10 or 12 arms: from "alternate motion" difficult to be counted, white: each arm with 12 papillæ, central longest, gradually decreasing on sides; bases connected with membrane; (B) miserably drawn The papillæ adhære on a longer base than in P 141: so do not have not so much the appearance of a hand: they adhære & crawl by their aid: When considerably contracted its length 3 inches, breadth .4:— in this state there may be seen in one of the intervals between the longit: ligamentous bands, & chiefly (not quite solely on the posterior half) 2 or 3 dozen small white very slightly projecting eminences or papillæ: about 1/20th of inch: their shapes was [sketch], probably owing to contraction of body: they were sometimes in single, double or more rows.— they consisted of numerous (20 or 30?) little cups overlapping each other (owing to of do contraction) placed on slightly convex surface & adhæring together on a gelatinous base.— Each little cup (A)

(A) (a) was most symetrical, more than 1/500th of inch in diameter, quite transparent, very shallow.— edges folding in, most finely serrated (to be seen with 1/10th or 1/20th" focal distance). bottom base of cup consists of 6 tapering spokes, perhaps connected by membrane, & uniting close to a puncture.— Are evidently used for adhæring.—

[261v]

(a) (A) is the cup, seen from directly above; the central ring with the puncture in the bottom: the serrated edge is seen folding inwards.— it is a good likeness of all which is visible.—

262

Port Famine

1834 June

Flustra encrusting 983 I examined the Polypus of this very simple Flustra, so that I might errect at some future day, my imperfect notions concerning the organization of the whole family of Dr Grants Paper.—

(K) represent what is seen in a front view of cell, the transvers organ (A) lies attached to the case of the tentacula, & as here seen, beneath it.—

(A) consists of a pointed oval case, one end simply attached to trans above case, the other joining on the main viscus.— it contains a small rounded oval red ball where granules are connected by transparent gelatinous substance.— this also lies in a very obscure vessel; by stretching the whole organ, I could pretty clearly trace it into the enlargement (B), where itself becomes enlarged.— This ball is very easily detached & will then keep its proper shape.— When first I examined the specimen, no motion was perceptible in any of the viscera, upon being kept for some minutes, in every polypus there was a rapid revolutionary & circulatory motion in the contained granules in (D). this motion seemed to be confined to the enlargement of the delicate vessel already mentioned.— the appearance was very strong of vibratory setæ which caused this motion.— Where this vessel led to or how it ended I cannot say.— In one, (which was rather injured & there the motion is generally most evident), I could clearly trace the same particles. revolve in (D), be circulated into (B); then into (C) & return to revolve in (D).— from this I am led to infer, that this vessel freely communicates with (B & C).— in this case viscera likewise had a peristaltic motion. Polypus has 16 tentacula, each one is provided on each

Pl. 13 F. 6

263

Port Famine

1834 June

Flustra there is an appearance of central vessel.—side with setæ, half its diameter long; these rapidly vibrate, in a progressive manner up one side & down the other.— Hence when all moving, complicated currents; I have seen particles at a little distance from extremity, revolving at one point from the different currents.— Where the tentacula join on the base, there is an inverted cone, in which a rapid vibration, as of setæ, is very clear; this unites directly with the intestine, or stomach.—

The tentacula are included in a case, one end of which is attached to the labiate orifice, the other I believe to base of tentacula, on the outside of this in central part. when the Polypus is quietly in the cell, the Liver (A) is attached.— The cells are separated by stony plates, each side of which is crenated with little points; in the centre I believe there is a vessel.— each cell has six projecting conical points [sketch] (where plates from other cells meet), these have a corresponding (to one) hollow, filled with reddish matter & I believe connected with vessel in plates.— These vessels must be central axis which develops Polypi, from eggs builds cells; the Polypi are connected at base to side of plate.— the membranous covering of cell is easily detached from the sides.— At base of tentacula there was an appearance of fibres.— Flustra exceedingly abundant coating the Fucus Giganteus.—