Zoology.'] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [_Polyzoa. 



areolated. The cells at the margins of the foramina are generally 

 considerably larger. In one specimen, those on the extreme 

 growing edge are perforated or fenestrate, and without the suboral 

 pore ; those adjoining, however, present the usual structure. As 

 in other Escharae, the openings of the cells towards the base of the 

 polzyoary become overgrown. Tlie avicularia are of two sorts. 

 In many cells there is a small avicularium, on one or both sides, 

 below the mouth, mth the pointed mandible du'ected more or less 

 outwards. The other avicularia are very large, and take the place 

 of a cell. In them the mandible is spoon-shaped, and of enormous 

 size. They frequently occur grouped two or three together, and 

 in the specimen figured are especially abundant at the edges of the 

 openings formed by the anastomoses of the branches. In some of 

 these the mandible is shorter and occasionally pointed, and the 

 supporting basis is very prominent when seen in profile. 



E. platalea is distinguished from the other Victorian stony 

 species mth which I am acquainted by the narrow, flat, anasto- 

 mosing lobes, the simple suboral pore, the size and shape of the 

 large, scattered, sjjoou-shaped avicidaria, and the situation of the 

 small ones on the front of the cells. 



Explanation of Fiqures. 



Plate 48. — Fig. 4, spooimen, natural size. Fig. 4a, portion, magnified. Fig. 46, cluster of 

 cells, more highly magnified, showing the small avicularia and a single, large, spatulate one. 

 Fig. 4c, small group, to show 2 large cells towards the edge of a lobe and a smaller one to 

 the side. 



Plate 48, Fig. 5. 



ESCHARA QUADRATA (P. MacGil.). 



Description. — Polyzoary expanded, foliaceoiis, convoluted ; cells quadrate, 

 .=!fiparatpd by narrow raised lines and arrang-ed in long-itudinal linear series; surface 

 g-ranulnr and perforated; mouth arclied above, lower lip arched upwards and 

 projecting-, a minute, curved denticle sometimes on each side of the mouth imme- 

 diately above the angles. Avicularia, when present, situated at the side of the 

 mouth. Ovicell large, granular, with lines on the surface similar to those 

 separating the cells. 



Reference. — Eschara elegans, P. H. MacGillivray (not Milne Edwards), 

 Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., 1868. 



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