38 CO11YNID.E. 



between the present genus and Syncoryne are confined to 

 the gonozooids, the polypites of both presenting the same 

 characters. The list of synonyms must be understood to 

 apply to the two genera. 



The Capsularia of Cuvier is probably identical with 

 Coryne as originally denned ; but his description is defec- 

 tive and obscure,, and his name has not been adopted by 

 subsequent authors. I therefore retain Gaertner's well- 

 established designation, though it is of later date. 



There is still some uncertainty in the use of the name 

 by authors. Even so high an authority as Van Beneden 

 in his recent work follows Ehrenberg in making the Hydra 

 squamata the type of the genus Coryne. But this is quite 

 inadmissible, because (1) Gmelin had previously founded 

 his genus Clava for this form ; and (2) Gaertner, who ori- 

 ginated the name Coryne, applies it to a polypite with 

 capitate tentacles. 



There is great difficulty in determining the synonymy of 

 the species of Coryne. I believe it to be quite impossible 

 to settle with any approach to certainty what the C\ 

 pusilla of Gaertner was. The name has been applied to 

 many different forms, has almost been used as a general 

 appellation for everything corynoid, and it is a serious 

 question whether it would not be wise to discard it alto- 

 gether. As, however, it is old and familiar and finds a 

 place in every work on zoophytology, I have retained it, 

 and have connected it with a species that perhaps agrees 

 better than most with Gaertner's description and figure. 

 It is of the first importance that there should be fixity of 

 usage with respect to nomenclature, and I therefore hope 

 that this decision may be accepted as a starting-point for 

 the future. 



We know but little of the geographical distribution of 

 this and the following genus. Two or three species have 



