REPORT ON THE ACTINIARIA. 5 



correct to replace the name Anthea by the older Anemonia, and to range the genus 

 Comactis under it. On the other hand, my Comactis jlagelUfera is not identical with 

 Anemonia sulcata [Anthea cereus), and should therefore be referred to as Anemonia 

 fiacjellifera. 



In the system of Andres the Bunodidae bear the closest relation to my family 

 Tealidae. I was unacquainted with any typical Bunodes, and had supposed (ef. supra) 

 that they possessed acontia. This supposition is, according to Andres, incorrect ; and 

 the close relationship to Tealia is thus anew proven. Accordingly I withdraw the 

 name Tealidae in favour of the older designation Bunodidae ; but, now as formerly, the 

 endodermal sphincter must occupy the first place in the diagnosis. I relinquish, how- 

 ever, to future observers, as with the Paractidae, the decision whether forms with 

 smooth and with papillate body-wall should be separated from one another, or not. 



A last point of dispute with Angelo Andres lies in the fact that I reckon the 

 Halcampce among the Ilyanthidae, while he erects them into a separate family. I will 

 not decide in this place either for the one opinion or the other, but will discuss merely 

 the point of view, which, as it seems to me, must be of importance for a decision. 



The more we have learnt in late years of the structure of these forms, the 

 more has it become apparent that Actinias, which are rounded posteriorly and 

 devoid of pedal disc, exhibit in most cases a sort of ancestral character ; eminently 

 primitive forms are, above all others, the Edwardsiae. Among such forms is the 

 genus Halcampa, from which again the genus Halcampella is a transition to the 

 remaining Actiniae, in virtue of its numerous tentacles, and of its commencing to 

 exhibit accessory mesenteries. I opine that the genus Uyanthus stands in close 

 relation to the Halcampcllce ; the regular increase of the mesenterial pairs by multiples 

 of six, which is commencing in the one case, is in the other clearly expressed, 

 as may be inferred from the presence of the numerous longitudinal furrows of the 

 body-wall ; while the siphonoglyphes (ciliated grooves), the hinder edge of the body, 

 and the sphincter, are obviously of weak development, as among the Halcampce. 

 Possibly a study of the mesenteries may yield further points of agreement, but, 

 unfortunately, nothing is accurately known of these important features in the structure 

 of Uyanthus ; and so long as this is the case, no conclusion can be certain. If my 

 expectations be confirmed, a union of the Halcampce with the Ilyanthidae would be 

 desirable ; the latter would form a transitional family placed at the top of the 

 Hexactiniae, and bridging the gap between them and the Edwardsiae ; while, as a 

 peculiar and aberrant branch of the Actiniae, would be ranged near them the 

 Siphonactidae. the forms possessing a conchula. 



All the forms of which we have as yet spoken possess the typical digitate 

 or tubular Actinian tentacles, so arranged that one tentacle corresponds to each 

 radial chamber ; there are, however, two variations of this arrangement. In the one, 



