The record-union., 1896-11-29
IT'S AN ANIMAL.
The Hydra is Not a Plant, as Was Sup
posed.
Cut 1t Into Fifty Pieces and Fifty New
Organisms Are at Once
Generated.

puzzle of scientists for ages-the hyora
remains to-day an unsolved problem III
animal life; indeed, until quite recently
the authorities classed it not as an AMI
NAL at all, but as a branch or the Vese-
table kindgom In the case OF the NY
dra, distinctions between animal ana
vegetable are confused and partially op-
liberated.
This extraordinary creature upsets
all our theories as to individuality. II
disproves half that we have estapllsheo
on the subject of physiological laws.
Anyone may study the hydra, LOT II
everywhere abounds; but to explain It's
organic system were an 1mposSlollty-
for he that would understand the hydra
must comprehend nature.
The second of Hercules tasks tor his
master, Eurystheus, was the VanQu1Sn-
ing of the Lernean hydra Near Argos,
in the district of Lernea, dWelt this
tabled monster huge, nine-headed, the
central head immortal. Hercules at
tackled the hateful creature, but as he
smote off the heads, two new ones grew
in place of each. The valiant god only
succeeded in subduing his adversary,
when. with the aid of his servant, Eo-
lous, he burned the mortal heads, and
buried the immortal one deep beneath
ponderous rock.
Such is the legend of mythology. The
real hydra of the naturalists is a tiny
thing-the lightest touch is enough to
slay it; but the dreadful beast that
troubled Hercules was no more mar
velous in its multiplying life than is its
rci1 1ro nf
perience.
The most simply constructed of ami
mails are the zoophytes. They are, how
ever, Of various degrees in simplicity;
and the simplest of them is the hydra.
This small creature is to be found COM
monty in pools of stagnant water, and
the study of it, either with or without
microscope, Is both delightful and
amazing. Indeed, it's peculiarities are
such as to be Of extreme Importance in
our consideration of the profoundest
questions of being.
The hydra's body is constructed after
the fashion of an ordinary coin purse,
or sac, having a mouth and around the
mouth tentacula- The animal uses these
tentacles, corresponding to arms, in the
capture of its food and in conveying
the food into its mouth. Those who
have seen the cuttlefish have seen a
similar arrangement, vastly larger, but
the cuttlefish lacks the hydra's extra
ordinary characteristics.
The hydras tentacles do not possess
suckers like the cuttlefish or ella, which
are common to many animals. The
arms are equipped with tiny bristles
and strong pointed spines. The spines
are retained concealed in excrescences
when not employed. When the oppor-
tunity for their use occurs, they thrust
forth in much the same fashion that
cat unsheaths it's claws.
The hydra attaches itself to some
firm object by means of a sucker, and
lets its tentacles float in the water,
idly to all appearance. In reality the
waving arms are industriously search
ing for prey. When a crustacean or
any other desired and unwary victim
chances to encounter one Of the wait
ing tentacles. the spines are extended
and the arm twines securely about its
unhappy prisoner. If the prey be large
enough to require it, the tentacles as
sist in mastering the struggles Of the
captive, and finally aid in conveying it
into the hydra's mouth.
Hard shelled animals are swallowed
alive and one can watch the continua
ton of their efforts to escape, even
after they have been swallowed-so del
icately thin is the texture Of the hy-
dra's body. The spines, however, are
supplied with a poisonous secretion,
similar to that Of spiders. and this is
injected into soft-bodied animals as
II,
tentacles. AS a result, the prey dies
after being retained for a short time
in the grasp of the arms.
The ordinary locomotion of the hydra
is not startlingly swift. On the con-
trary an inch an hour Is the best
speed attained. Its method Of move
ment is to bend forward, to take hold
of the road by mouth or tentacles or
both, then to draw it's sucker close,
and to renew its grasp with that base
of operations. The repetition of this
performance insures a tediously slow
progress
This fashion of walking is the same
as that employed by some of the Lep
fdoptera larvae, q familiar example of
which is the caterpillar popularity
known under the various names Of
Hooper, geometer, or measure worm.
When the hydra is recklessly hurried
1t contrives to increase It's pace by
an acrobatic scheme. 1t holds fast by
its tentacles and proceeds to turn
somersaults until it has arrived, max
ing excellent time.
The hydra has little power of sensa-
ton; its capacity for pleasure is Of the
smallest But the hydra enjoys itself
and it's little cup Of bliss is full to the
brim when 1t goes a-sailing. The hy-
dta lets its body float just beneath the
surface Of the water; it raises its sucker
above the surface, where the light men,
brane soon dries. Thus dried, the suck
er form a capital sail. The breeze
comes; puff. the hydra goes sailing
away The tentacles make rudders TO
guide the course. If the wind falls.
they become oars for this living galley.
Such is the hydra in its general char
acteristics. But its startling idiosyn-
crasfes have yet to be told.
Turn the hydra inside out and 1t
suffers no apparent damage. The form
er outside of its stomach digests food
as readily as did the former inside. Oc-
casionally hydra engaged in swallow
ing its food Will be swallowed by a sec
ond hydra One would suspect that this
would terminate the first hydra's ca
reer. The fact is otherwise The two
hydras, the swallower and the swal-
lowed. digest their mutual food: there
after. the swallowed hydra, an animal
Jonah, reappears, none the worse. In
truth. the two hydras seem we'll con-
tent with their communistic method OF
dining