Zoology.-] NATDliAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. \_Polyzoa. 



long^, glassy, hollow spines, articulated to bulbous processes, spreading- outwards and 

 curving upwards ; in many zooecia a sessile avicularium in the place of these spines, 

 with tlae sharp beak and triangular mandible directed forwards. Ooecia rounded, 

 terminal. 



Reference. — Hincks, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., Aug. 1882. 



Port Phillip Heads, Mr. J. Bracebridge Wilson. 



This cui-iovis and beautifid species forms small, phytoid, 

 branching tufts, attaining a height of an inch or upwards. The 

 basal shoots consist of cylinders of zooecia and are bi- or tri- 

 furcate. They are attached by a mass of radical fibres springing 

 fi'om the surface of the zooecia. Besides these radical fibres, a few 

 (2 to 7) hollow, chitinous rods arise from the sides of the shoots 

 and are directed upwards. They are beautifully transparent, 

 glassy, and strongly convoluted towards the summit. The summit 

 is expanded into a small disc fringed by a row of long, hollow, 

 articulated spines. Above the expansion a short celliferous branch 

 rises, almost immediately dividing into three, one or more of which 

 may again bifurcate. The zooecia are arranged in linear series 

 round the axis in such a manner that their apertures form a spiral. 

 The zooecia immediately succeeding the rods have usually a larger 

 number (3 or 4) of spines than the others. The rods are of 

 considerable length, sometunes more than half as long as the 

 supported branches. The radical fibres proper are of the usual 

 brownish appearance, waving and forming bundles, they are fixed 

 to the supporting body by rosettes. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 178. — Fipr. 4, specimen, natural size. Fig. 4a, portion of same, magnified ; this was 

 not very perfect and does not properly sliow the expanded upper parts of the rods. Fig. 5a, 

 portion of a branch more higlily magnified, showing zooecia with their spines and avicularia. 

 Fig. 5, small portion from another specimen, to show the ooecia. 



Plate 178, Fig. 6. 

 FARCIMIA APPENDICULATA (Hincks). 



[Genus FARCIMIA (Pourtales). (Sub-kingdom Mollusca. Class Polyzoa. Order In- 

 fundibulata. Sub-order Cheilostomata Family Cellulariidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Zoarium calcareous, erect, branching ; stems and branches composed of 

 segments united by corneous joints. Zooecia arranged in series round an imaginary axis, with 

 elevated margins and depressed area, which is more or less covered in with membrane.] , 



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