found on the North-east Coast of Inland. 3S 



diameter of the body of the beroe. In the specimen of B. pileus^ 

 which came under the observation of Dr Grant, they were about 

 four times the length of the animal, which would appear to be 

 about the average size. The same author remarks, " They ex* 

 tend from two curved tubes, placed near the sides of the sto- 

 mach, which pass obliquely downwards and outwards, to termi- 

 nate between two of the bands, at some distance above the 

 mouth." " These tubes have a sigmoid form, and are shut and 

 somewhat dilated at their upper extremity." In the Irish spe- 

 cies the tubes are not curved in the form described, and their 

 .external orifice is at some distance, not from the mouth, but 

 from the anus. The tenlacula appear to be much alike in both. 

 *'• Along their whole course they present," says Dr Grant, " mi- 

 nute equidistant filaments, extending from their lower margin, 

 which coil themselves up in a spiral manner, and adhere close to 

 the tentacula, when they are about to be withdrawn into their 

 sheaths or tubes/' The filaments were in some individuals not 

 less than half an inch in length, and of a delicate pinkish colour. 

 To my eye they never presented the appearance exhibited in the 

 engraving illustrative of Dr Grant's paper. In some instances 

 they were more numerous than from that engraving we would 

 suppose, for even so many as fifty may occasionally be reckoned 

 on a single tentaculum. Most accurately has Dr Grant re- 

 marked, " The tentacula are often thrown out from their tubes 

 to their full extent by one impulse, and the'slow uncoiling of the 

 slender serpentine filaments from their margin, is then very 

 J>eautiful : when coiled up they appeared like very minute tu- 

 bercles along the side of the tentaculum." Of course, in parti- 

 cular points of view, they presented a moniliform appearance ; 

 and sometimes, while the filaments on the upper half of the ten- 

 taculum were seen under this aspect, those in the lower half 

 were like delicate hairs or cilia, waving from the edge. In this 

 respect, however, they were incessantly varying, and the tenta- 

 cula, at the same time, were continually assuming new aspects, 

 being retracted either separately or together, and thrown out in 

 the same diversified manner. It is scarcely possible to convey, 

 by any description, an idea of the beauty and diversity of their 

 forms. They seem endued with exquisite sensibility, which, 

 however, is not always equally delicate. At times the slightest 



VOL. XX. NO. XXXIX. — JANUARY 1836. C 



