Anatomical and physiological observations on some zoophytes / by John Reid.

  • Reid, John, 1809-1849.
Date:
[1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Anatomical and physiological observations on some zoophytes / by John Reid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    XLIII.—Anatomical and Physiological Observations on some Zoophytes. By John Reid, M.D., F.R.C.P.E., and Cliandos Professor of Anatomy and Medicine in the University of St. Andrews. [With a Plate.] In the following observations upon the structures and actions of some of the Zoophytes obtained from the shore of the bay of St. Andrews, I have confined myself to those points which are either new, or which appeared deserving of additional illustration. In using the terms superior and inferior, upper and lower in re- ference to the relative position of different parts of the polypidom, in the descriptive parts of this paper, the polypidom is supposed to be in the erect position, so that these terms correspond to an- terior and posterior when the polypidom is placed horizontally. In using the term anterior surface, I mean the surface on which the apertures of the polype-cells are placed, so that this corre- sponds to the upper surface when the polypidom is laid hori- zontally for examination. Cellularia reptans. This polype grows in considerable abun- dance close upon low-water mark, on the exposed surface of a stra- tum of clay-slate and conglomerate, interposed among strata of sandstone belonging to the carboniferous series. Growing along with it, but in much smaller quantities, are Cellulai'ia scruposa, Crisia chelata, C. eburnea, Pedicellina echinata, Vesicularia spi- nosa, Valkeria imbricata and Plumularia falcata, none of which have I hitherto found adhering to the surrounding strata of sandstone. The polypidom of this polype possesses some structures which as far as I am aware have not yet been described. At the external and upper angle of the cell, and posterior to the two spines at- tached to this angle (PL XII. fig. 1 a, fig.2 c, a, b), three of these structures are found?. The uppermost of these is a hollow pro- cess (fig. 2/^Cthe superior extremity of which is free, looks out- wardsjjnda little forwards, and has an aperture notched on the * Part of this process is seen on looking at the anterior surface of the polypidom, as is represented in Plate XII. fig. 13 L.