270 MR. GOSSE ON PEACHIA HASTATA. 



the Pulmograde Medusae, since I have observed it- in several of the Covered-eyed genera. 

 The affinity between the Arachnoderm and Actinoderm classes of Radiata was already 

 known to be close ; and these curious facts may add another link to the connexion. 



If the rupture and inversion of the body in this instance was a normal process, it still 

 would not be inconsistent with the function which I assign (from analogy with other 

 Actiniadce) to the curious papillated duct at the side of the mouth. Ova or living young 

 may be discharged through this orifice, at intervals, during life, and yet the most prolific 

 birth may be reserved for the period of the parent's decease, when the whole contents of 

 the ovaries are committed to the waves. 



Whether it was so or not, however, I did not ascertain ; for, about a week later, or 

 eighteen days after the evolution, I perceived that the mucous integuments were decom- 

 posing and becoming offensive. The ovaries and their bands wore nearly the same 

 appearance as before ; but some of the former were dispersing in flocculent shreds, in 

 which I could not detect any embryos more advanced than those which I had before 

 examined. The frilled bands maintained spontaneous motion, but very slow. I there- 

 fore took the specimen from the vase and examined it. I found it completely inverted ; 

 the tentacles were set around the interior of one extremity, and the papillated orifice at 

 the edge of the mouth was very distinctly seen. The papillae are arranged around the 

 orifice in flat hand-like eminences, each containing three or four papillae, resembling 

 fingers. The dark-brown cores, so well-defined that they look like solid bodies, under 

 pressure appear to consist of pigment-cells or granules, of similar consistence to that of 

 the surrounding flesh. 



The anal extremity was much more distinct than before ; the orifice being ^th of an 

 inch in diameter, and perfectly defined, with striae radiating from its margin, and the 

 thickened septa commencing in a circle around it. 



No sac-like fundus was visible to the stomach, but it seemed to merge into the visceral 

 cavity, as described by M. Hollard (Ann. des Sci. Nat. 1851), and by Dr. Cobbold (Ann. 

 Nat. Hist. 1853) ; differing only in the fact just mentioned, that this cavity had a 

 posterior orifice. 



The possession of an excretory orifice to the body is a character of sufficient importance 

 to separate this species from the genus Actinia. I therefore propose to constitute a 

 genus for it, by the name of Peachia, as a tribute to the zeal, industry, and success with 

 which marine zoology has been studied by Mr. Charles W. Peach. I am influenced in 

 this selection of a name, also, by the circumstance that a species discovered by that 

 gentleman in Cornwall, and named by him Actinia chrysanthellum, appears to resemble 

 the present species closely, and may prove to belong to the same genus. It is very 

 minute, whereas this is a zoophyte of large dimensions; and the describer has not 

 mentioned the existence of a posterior orifice, nor of any papillated structure in front. 

 The former may, however, have been overlooked. 



The genus and species may be thus characterized : — 



Peachia, Gosse. 

 Corpus elongatum, subcylindricum, pyriforme, v. fusiforme, ditrematum, liberum ; tenia- 



