94 LAOMEDEA. PACIFICA. 



Laomedea gigantea A. AGASS. 



This species of Laomedea, found growing in the brackish water of 

 Charles River, grows to an enormous size, as much as fifteen to twenty 

 inches. It sends off only short branches from the stout principal stem, 

 so that in its general appearance it resembles somewhat Sertularia 

 cupressina ; the branches, however, are very closely arranged round the 

 main stem ; near the extremity we often find, in very large specimens, 

 the branches spreading out somewhat fan-shaped. It can readily be 

 distinguished from its congener, the L. amphora, by the shape of the 

 calycles, which are totally different ; they are elliptical, flaring but 

 slightly towards the opening, and taper off somewhat suddenly, with 

 a bottle-shaped extremity entirely unlike the calycles of L. amphora. 



Boston Harbor (H. J. Clark). 



Cat. No. 103, Boston, July, 1861, H. J. Clark. Hydromedusarium. 



Cat. No. 104, Boston, July, 1861, H. J. Clark. Hydromedusarium. 



Cat. No. 105, Boston, July, 1861, H. J. Clark. Hydromedusarium. 



Laomedea pacifica A. AGASS. 



This is another gigantic species closely allied to Laomedea amphora ; 

 the reproductive calycles are similar in both ; the main stem of this 

 species is exceedingly stout ; the mode of branching resembles that of 

 L. gelatinosa. Specimens of this species have been collected by Dr. 

 Stimpson, of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition under Commo- 

 dore Rodgers, in Behring's Straits, and in Avatska Bay, Kamtschatka. 



Gulf of Georgia, W. T. (A. Agassiz) ; San Francisco, Cal. (A. Agassiz). 



Cat. No. 117, Gulf of Georgia, W. T., June, 1859, A. Agassiz. 



Cat. No. 118, San Francisco, Cal., December, 1859, A. Agassiz. 



Cat. No. 120, San Francisco, Cal., December, 1859, A. Agassiz. Hy- 

 d rome d usarium. 



