[114] System. Nat. p. 1320, No. 4.
[115] Zoophyt. 4.
OF THE HYDRA HYDATULA.
[Plate XXI.] Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The next in order is the hydra hydatula, which we have already defined from Linnæus as a hydra with four obsolete arms, and a vesicular body: it is spoken of by several medical writers, who are enumerated in the Systema Naturæ, p. 1321. It is described also by Hartman, Misc. Nat. Cur. Dec. I. An. 7, Obs. 206, Dec. II. An. 4, Obs. 73, as hydatis animata; also in the Dissert. de Inf. Viv. p. 50; n. 6, tænia hydatoidea. Pallas defines it as tænia hydatigena rugis imbricata corpore postice bulla lymphaticæ terminato. The following description is extracted from that in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 193, by Dr. Tyson, who names it lumbricus hydropicus.
In the dissection of a gazella or antelope, Dr. Tyson observed several hydatides or films filled with water, about the size of a pigeon’s egg, and of an oval form, fastened to the omentum, and some in the pelvis, between the bladder of urine and the rectum; and he then suspected them to be a particular sort of insect, bred in animal bodies, or at least the embryos or eggs of them: 1. Because he observed them included in a membrane, like a matrix, so loosely, that by opening it with a finger or knife, the internal bladder, containing the serum or lympha, seemed no where to have any connection with it, but would very readily drop out, still retaining its liquor, without spilling any of it. 2. He observed that this internal bladder had a neck or white body, more opake than the rest of the bladder, and protuberant from it, with an orifice at its extremity, by which, as with a mouth, it exhausted the serum from the external membrane, and so supplied its bladder or stomach. 3. Upon bringing this neck near the candle, it moved and shortened itself. Fig. 1, represents one of these watery bladders inclosed in its external membrane, its shape was nearly round, being only a little depressed or flatted, as a drop of quicksilver will be by lying on a plane. In Fig. 2, the neck is better seen; the external membrane being taken off, an open orifice is found at its extremity; it consists of circular rings or incisures, which are more visible when magnified, as in Fig. 3; it then appears granulated with a number of little eminences all over the surface; the orifice at the extremity seems to be formed by retracting itself inwards, and upon trial it was found to be so; for in Fig. 4, the neck of this polype is represented magnified and drawn out its whole length; on opening it there were found within the two strings a, a, which probably convey into the stomach the moisture and nourishment, which the animal, by protruding its neck, extracts from the external membrane.[116]
[116] Hydra hydatula habitat in abdomine mammalium, ovium, suum, murium, &c. inter peritoneum et intestina. Vesica lymphatica, pellucida, magnitudine pruni, petiolata corpore cylindrico, in cujus apice os, quod, corpore compresso, movet tentacula vix manifesta. Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 1321, No.5.
OF THE HYDRA STENTOREA.
[Plate XXII.] Fig. 27 and 28.
Hydra tentaculis ciliaribus corpore infundibuliformi.