PERIGONIMUS REPENS. 91 



and in those of other zoophytologists, and I therefore 

 retain the later designation to avoid confusion. 



He has given a graphic description of the habits of the 

 gonozooid. " When first separated from the zoophyte, 

 it seeks the surface of the water with long zigzag bounds, 

 carrying its tentacles closely coiled in spirals. Having 

 remained swimming there for a short time, it begins to 

 sink slowly with the mouth of its bell uppermost, and the 

 tentacles, uncoiling themselves, stream behind, to a distance 

 of more than twenty times the length of the bell, in straight 

 lines or graceful curves, sweeping the water in search of 

 prey." . . . " A jar of these lively creatures, some swimming 

 rapidly about like small frogs, with their half-coiled ten- 

 tacles jerking backwards at each stroke, others descending 

 headlong in flocks like the falling train of a rocket, and 

 all glittering under oblique illumination in the dark water, 

 forms one of not the least interesting of those scenes of 

 beauty which are of daily occurrence to the naturalist." 



The gonozooid at the time of detachment has only two 

 arms fully developed ; but two more are present in a very 

 rudimentary state, or soon bud from the two smaller mar- 

 ginal tubercles. Dr. Wright has observed* that after a 

 time four other tubercles appear on the marginal canal, 

 and possibly the multiplication of the tentacles may pro- 

 ceed much further. 



The P. minutus of Allman, judging from the description 

 of it, for unfortunately we have no figure, is identical with 

 P. repens in all but one or two trifling particulars. The 

 umbrella of its gonozooid is described as having " a some- 

 what conical form " at the summit, and its reproductive 

 buds as borne on much longer peduncles than those of P. 

 repens. Now in Dr. Wright's first figure the swimming- 



* ' Observations on British Protozoa and Zoophytes," Annals N. H. for 

 August 1861 under Atractylis palliata. 



