Let us begin with its earlier condition. When it first escapes from
the parent Hydroid stock, the Oceania is almost spherical in form.
(See Fig. 65.) The disk is divided by four chymiferous tubes, running
from the summit to the margin, where they meet the circular tube in
which they all unite. At this time, it has but two well-developed
tentacles, opposite each other on the margin of the disk, just at the
base of two of the chymiferous tubes (Fig. 66), while two others are
just discernible in a rudimentary state, forming slight projections at
the base of the two other tubes. Fig. 66 gives a view of the animal
from below, at this stage of its growth, while Fig. 65 shows it in
profile. It will be seen by the latter how very spherical is the
outline of the disk at this period, while the proboscis, in which are
placed the mouth and digestive cavity, is quite long, and hangs down
considerably below the lower surface of the disk. As the animal
advances in age the disk loses its spherical outline, and becomes much
flattened, as may be seen in Fig. 67. It may be well to introduce here
some explanation of the law according to which the different sets of
tentacles follow each other in successive cycles of growth, since it
is a law of almost universal application in Jelly-fishes and Polyps;
and, owing to the smaller number and simpler arrangement of the
tentacles in Oceania, it may be more easily analyzed in them than in
many others, where the number and complication of the different sets
of tentacles make it very difficult to trace their relation to each
other during their successive growth. We have seen that the Oceania
begins life with only two tentacles. These form the first set, and are
marked with the number 1 in the subjoined diagram, which gives the
plan of all the different sets in their regular order. The second set,
marked 2, consists also of two, which are developed at equal distances
between the first two, i.e. at right angles with them. The third set,
however, marked 3, consists of four, as do all the succeeding sets,
and they are developed between the first and second. The fourth set
comes in between the first and third; the fifth between the third and
second; the sixth between the first and fourth; the seventh between
the fifth and second; the eighth between the third and fourth; the
ninth between the fifth and third. The ultimate number of tentacles in
the Oceania is thirty-two, or sometimes thirty-six, and the cycles
always in twos or multiples of two. But whatever be the number
included in the successive sets of tentacles, and the unit for the
first set ranges from two to forty-eight, the law in different kinds
of Jelly-fishes is always the same, the youngest set always forming
between the oldest preceding set. Thus the fourth set comes in between
the first and third, and the fifth between the second and third, the
intervals occupied now by the fourth set, being limited by the first
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