69 



NOTE ON THE SERTULARIIDAE OF KENT AND 



SUSSEX. 



By Rev. H. A. Soames, M.A., F.RM.S. 



{Read January loth, 1904.) 



The Sertulariidae, a family of calyptoblastic hydroids, whose 

 representatives are exclusively marine, includes about twenty-five 

 species which occur upon our coasts. For those who live away 

 from the sea-shore the study of the living animal is attended 

 with considerable difficulty ; but the empty receptacles are 

 washed up by every storm, and may be obtained from the refuse 

 of the trawl, and these, occurring as they do in such vast pro- 

 fusion and possessed of so many points of interest, certainly seem 

 worthy of far more attention than they usually receive. 



The specimens should be placed, as soon as collected, in 

 methylated spirit, and in this condition will retain their charac- 

 teristics, free from dust and risk of breakage, for an indefinite 

 period. As may be gathered from the following notes, many of 

 the Sertulariidae are commonly met with attached to Algae, 

 Polyzoa, and even to other species of hydroids. The smaller 

 species, especially at an early stage of growth, are easily over- 

 looked, and may often be more readily detected if the object to 

 which they are attached be placed in a jar of water. 



The method I personally adopt for the mounting of these 

 hydroids is as follows. The specimen is dried for a few minutes, 

 placed in an excavated cell, covered with a large drop of Canada 

 balsam in chloroform, and thin glass added in the usual way. 

 The slide is then placed under an air-pump, in order to remove 

 the bubbles from the calcycles, the air being exhausted and 

 readmitted several times should it be found necessary. An 

 alternative method, which obviates the necessity of using an 

 air-pump, is as follows. The polypidom is transferred from the 

 spirit to oil of cloves, thence to turpentine, and thence to balsam. 

 The specimen should remain for at least one day in each fluid, 

 and should be transferred with care and rapidity so as to prevent 

 the air from entering the calcycles. 



The following is a list of the species I have found in Kent and 

 Sussex : — 



