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CHAS. W. HARGITT. 



TENTACLES. 



As intimated in the outstart, there has been given but slight 

 attention to variations in these organs. The tentacles of Rlicgma- 

 todcs are both numerous and extremely delicate. It is therefore, 

 difficult to distinguish numerical variations, or irregularity in 

 position. I shall call attention only to one feature, concerning 

 which, however, there is little to be said, the occurrence of 

 branching, or bifurcation. This is a fairly common feature in 

 many medusae, and in my earlier paper I have figured and de- 

 scribed numerous cases. Agassiz and Woodworth (op. cif.), 

 have also described several cases among the Eucopidae. Though 

 somewhat careful attention was directed to this in Rhegmatodcs 

 anything of the sort is extremely rare. Only a single instance 



FIG. II. Showing union of 

 basal canals in a single one. 



FIG. 12. Showing anasto- 

 mosis and imperfect canal. 



of what seemed to be a basal bifurcation of a tentacle was de- 

 tected, and that was not so evident as to be absolutely certain. 



As a final word upon this feature it may be stated that as a 

 rule the number of tentacles was usually greater as the speci- 

 mens increase in size. To this, however, there were many ex- 

 ceptions. For example, one specimen measuring 47 mm. in 

 diameter had 66 tentacles, while another which measured but 36 

 mm. in diameter had 69 tentacles. This may be taken as some- 

 what typical of many similar cases. In the paper of 1901, 

 already cited, I have called attention to numerous instances of a 



