80

Bournemouth Sept. 23d 1862

Before a tentacle moves, the upper & inner side is convex & the spiral vessel is central; after curvature from meat, this side (become longitudinally concave, so that edges of sides project beyond middle line, & the spiral vessel lies, much nearer that side than on the other.) The opposite side is convex. I could get no indirect evidence of actual contraction of cells; I mean by indirect general change of size of cells in bent & unbent specimens. I suspect after curvature end of cells which were truncated became curved & arched.

I punctured the lower side of a tentacle & then put on meat, & this part did not bend; but perhaps I punctured rather too near base - After puncture the cells did not contract; so that do not contract by mere elasticity.

Reflecting on exosmose & endosmose; at present it looks as if by vital power fluid was driven

over

[80v]

from the upper or inner to outer side of tentacles. A single tentacle cut off & bent by meat put in weak spirits straightened.