SERTULA1UID.E. 233 



boscis becomes extraordinarily prominent; the whole as- 

 pect of the polypite is changed. 



I have only met with one or two gonothecse. A single 

 large sporosac occupied the interior, in the centre of which 

 was a somewhat flask-shaped, opake body, terminating 

 above in a narrow neck (Plate XLV. fig. 2 d) : this was 

 probably the spermary. 



Ojjhiodes mirabilis, it will be seen, exhibits a large 

 number of interesting characters. 



The distinct funnel-shaped head crowning the tapering- 

 body, and itself crowned by the tentacular verticil with its 

 battery of thread-cells at every embrasure, the elegant 

 calycle, the strange snake-like organ near it, either resting 

 motionless and sentinel-like, or twisting vehemently about 

 and casting abroad its fatal threads, and the numerous 

 similar organs below, writhing and lashing themselves 

 about, without apparent object, constitute a really remark- 

 able group of curious structures. 



Hub. On weed, dredged in shallow water (5-8 fathoms), 

 Swaiiage Bay, Dorset ; Ilfracombe, chiefly on Laminaria- 

 roots and stems, from the lower ledges 011 the Capstone, 

 very abundant (T. H.). 



Family VIII. Sertulariidse. 



perfectly sessile, more or less inserted in the 

 stem and branches ; POLYPITES ivholly retractile, with 

 a single wreath of filiform tentacles round a conical 

 proboscis; GONOZOOIDS always fixed. 



