Stuckey. — A Revieiv of the New Zealand Actiniaria. 375 



New Zealand waters, a circumstance which seems to point to the conclusion 

 that there are in this region no abyssal or pelagic forms. 



Methods. 



Killing. — Several methods were used. 



(1.) Electrocution with a strong current (14 amperes) was tried, but the 

 results were fair only. I am of opinion that this method is not good for 

 histological purposes, on account of the destruction of tissue brought about 

 by electrolysis. 



(2.) In another method the animals, after being expanded in a minimum 

 of sea-water in small glass vessels, were dropped (vessels and all) into a 

 boiling saturated solution of perchloride of mercury. 



(3.) The animals were stupefied with magnesium-sulphate in sea- water 

 (Tullberg's method), and then either chloroformed or dropped into boiling 

 perchloride of mercury. 



The last two methods yielded the best results. 



Fixing, Imbedding, and Cutting. — All specimens were fixed by immer- 

 sion for a longer or shorter period, according to size, in perchloride of mer- 

 cury. The larger specimens were filled with the fixing fluid through the 

 mouth by means of a glass syringe immediately after death. The mercui'v 

 having been removed with iodine, the specimens were dehydrated in the 

 ordinary way, and finally imbedded in paraffin. Sections were cut with a 

 Cambridge rocking microtome, and, in the case of some of the large species, 

 with a sliding microtome. 



Staining. — Mass staining with borax-carmine yielded results which were 

 satisfactory, but not so good as those obtained by staining on the cover - 

 slip. Saffranin and methylin blue yielded good results, the nuclei staining 

 well. Fuchsin was found a fine stain for nuclei and nematocysts. Kleinen- 

 berg's hsematoxylin gave good definition of mesogloea. The best results 

 were got with Erlich's hfematoxylin. This was used full strength (Squire's 

 formula), or diluted with water in various proportions. All yielded ex 

 cellent results. After staining on the cover-slip the sections were washed 

 in " tap " water, in some cases being immersed in the water for several 

 days. I am convinced that the best results with this stain are obtained bv 

 using it full strength, and then washing out for four or five days in water. 



List of Species described. 



Grade I. PA RAM ERA. 

 Order EDWARDSIIDEA. 

 Genus Edwardsia (Qua tref ages). 



1. Edwardsia tricolor (Farquhar), nom. nov, 



2. Edwardsia ignota, sp. nov. 



Grade IJ. CRYPTO PARA MERA. 



Order ACT INI IDE A. 



Suborder MALACACTINIiE. 



Group HEX ACTINIA. 



Fam. Anthead^. 



Genus Actinia (Browne). 



3. Actinia tenebrosa (Farquhar), 



