LUCERNARIAD^ : LUCERNARIA. 245 



Dredged by Mr. MacAndrew and myself in Hellswick vije, west of 

 Zetland, among Laminarise in 4 — 7 fathoms. The locality is a shel- 

 tered creek, the water of which abounded in small Medusje," E. 

 Forbes. 



" Colour dark-brown ; peduncle cylindrical, flexuous, Avrinkled, 

 with a narrow base ; body bell-shaped, subquadrangular, concave ; 

 margin divided into four pairs of arms, concave within ; mouth 

 central, tubular, consisting of a loose membrane, four notched at the 

 tip, and also expanded, circular, or striated at the pleasure of the 

 animal ; the inside with numerous white filaments." — " The animal 

 contracts itself into various shapes. It moves the tentacula very 

 quickly, especially if muddy water is poured upon it. Although I 

 have kept it alive several days, I have never observed it in an 

 upright position. It in general hangs downwards, as expressed in 

 the figure ; sometimes, however, it is nearly horizontal." Fleming. — 

 " When at rest it assumes very much the form of a common drink- 

 ing-glass, and is exceedingly conspicuous from its beautiful rose 

 tint." Templeton. 



" The disk is quadrangular, with bifurcated angles, the extremity 

 of each furcation bearing a tuft of 70 or more filiform, nearly equal 

 tentacula, with swollen glandiferous tips. The bundles of tentacula, 

 when expanded, bear a striking resemblance to the flowers of Tha- 

 lictrum. The tentacula stand out in every direction. One of the 

 angles of a specimen taken was trifurcated, and bore three tufts of 

 tentacula, but this was a monstrosity, since the number of ovaries 

 corresponding to this angle was only two, as at the others. The 

 ovaries apjiear as translucent yellowish bodies shining through the 

 purplish-brown disk. The tentacula are pale brown, with dark 

 sienna-coloured tips. The back of the animal and peduncle are of a 

 sienna-brown ; the foot or disk of adhesion is very small ; the 

 mouth is four-lobed and pale. Dimensions : — Disk between the 

 arms, 0-^-^ : diagonal measurement from tuft to opposite tuft, 1 jL ; 

 tentacle, -f^ : body and peduncle when expanded, 0^." 



" In a jar of salt water it expanded, adhering to the sides by its 

 fascicles of tentacula, and twisting about its peduncle, extending 

 and contracting it like a trunk. In this way, and by turning over, 

 it marched up the sides of the glass. When irritated in the dark it 

 gave out brilliant flashes of bluish phosphorescent light, which 

 seemed to me to proceed from the reproductive organs. 



" When first brought up in a contracted state out of the water, it 

 had much the appearance and feel of an Aplysia." E. Forbes. 



