ASTRJiACEA. 



1LYANTHID.E. 



THE SPKAWLET. 



Aracknactis albida. 



Specific Character. Marginal tentacles longer than the column, gular 

 tentacles about one-fourth of the length of the column. 



Aracknactis albida. Saes, Fauua Litt. Norveg. i. 28; pi. iv. fig. 1—6. 



Forbes and Goodsir, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb. xx. 310. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION 



Form. 



Column. Shortly cylindrical [pear-shaped, E. F.], sub-globular in 

 contraction, becoming gradually smaller and rounded at the inferior 

 extremity, where no orifice has been observed. Surface smooth [but with 

 the power of adhering, at least by the inferior extremity (E. F.), which 

 implies the existence of suckers]. Substance softly fleshy. 

 Disk. [Undescribed.] 



Tentacles. Of two kinds. First series marginal, twelve to fourteen in 

 number, filiform, tapering, very long, slender and pointed : of these 

 eleven are about equal in length and thickness, while one or two are very 



much shorter and smaller, and un- 

 equal inter se. Some individuals 

 show traces of the budding forth 

 of another tentacle. These smaller 

 and apparently sprouting tentacles 

 always occur at that part of the 

 circle which corresponds to one 

 augle of the mouth. Second series 

 springing immediately around the mouth-slit, eight to twelve in number 

 [sixteen, E. F.], conical, pointed, scarcely one-tenth as long as those of the 

 first series ; some smaller than the rest, and apparently budding, and these 

 correspond in position with the budding ones of the first series. 

 Mouth. A simple slit. 



Colour. 



Column. Pellucid whitish, displaying the dark brown stomach through 

 its translucency [dusky white, tinged with tawny, E. F.]. 



Tentacles. First series whitish with dark brown tips [tawny and white, 

 E. F.]. Second series dark brown on the front face. 



AR.ACHNACTIS ALBIDA. 



