380 Mr. H. D. S. Goodsir on some Gigantic Forms 



at least so complicated. However this may be, the microscopic 

 structure of these filaments sufficiently proves that they are not 

 nervous, and at the same time points out their true characters as 

 already mentioned. With regard to the bundle of nervous fibres 

 seen by Rathke proceeding from the cerebral ganglion to the 

 narrow furrows on each side of the rostrum, that can easily be 

 accounted for from the furrows in question being the orifices of 

 the seminal tubes, so that consequently the tubes must be conti- 

 nuous with them. I could not perceive the slightest vestige of 

 filaments proceeding from the so-called ganglion to the anterior 

 part of the body, and in the specimens which came under my 

 own observation neither eyes nor ocellated points could be seen. 



FORBESIA. PI. XX. fig. 4. 



The animal to which I have given the above name, and which 

 is now to be briefly described, is peculiar and very interesting 

 on account of its gigantic size ; gigantic, inasmuch as all the 

 heretofore known similar forms have been microscopic. When 

 the first specimen was brought to me, and from the cursory 

 observation w^hich I then made, it appeared to belong to Vor- 

 ticella. Having been made acquainted by Professor Edward 

 Porbes, the godfather of the present species, with Sars^s paper on 

 Pedicellina, I was thus also enabled to compare it with that emi- 

 nent naturalist^s description of those animals*. After a very cur- 

 sory examination, however, it was found to differ very widely from 

 both of the above forms. 



It is about six inches in length, the pedicel being five and the 

 body one inch long ; the body is about half an inch, and the pe- 

 dicel about ^th of an inch in diameter. The oral extremity of 

 the body is concave, with an oblong transverse aperture in the 

 centre. The lips which surround this aperture are thick and 

 fleshy, deeply serrated, and armed on their internal edges with a 

 double row of fleshy cirrhi. Numerous spines of a clavate form 

 and horny structure are thinly scattered over the lower part of 

 the peduncle. A considerable number of fleshy papillse also arise 

 from a small portion of the body, forming a zone. The papillee 

 from one portion of this zone are more numerous and more re- 

 gularly arranged than in the other part. 



Until this animal has been more carefully examined, I am not 

 prepared to specify any characters, either generic or specific. The 

 opinion expressed by Professor Edward Forbes, that the polype 

 here described is only one torn from a polypidom common to 

 many, appears to be correct ; but until we are satisfied of this from 



* I am indebted to Mr. Halket of Edinburgh for the translation of tins 

 paper. 



