214 A. EARLAND ON CYMBALOPORA BULLOIDES 



but on the Challenger cruise it was frequently taken in the 

 townets at the surface of the sea, always in shallow areas, and 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of coral reefs. It is somewhat 

 remarkable in connection with the surface specimens, that the 

 same gathering invariably furnished shells of two distinct sizes, 

 some of them being of the normal adult dimensions, while a large 

 number were comparatively minute, their individual diameter 

 being scarcely half that of their associates. The large shells 

 appeared to be empty, and of intermediate specimens there were 

 few or none. The repeated observation of these facts has led 

 Mr. Murray to question whether C. hidloides is under all circum- 

 stances a pelagic Foraminifer, or whether it is not more probable 

 that it may only be the breeding stage of a bottom form. (" In 

 every specimen taken from the surface which I examined, the 

 shell was filled with minute monadiform bodies." J. M.) 



Goes, in his " Reticularian Rhizopods of the Caribbean Sea " (E), 

 and also in his report on the " For. of the U.S. Fish Coram. 

 Steamer, Albatross'^ (F), considers C. hidloides to be only a 

 " singular form of a modified Discorhina. The pores of various 

 sizes on the last segment should not bo regarded as a mark of 

 generic or of specific distinction. If this globular chamber is 

 detached, the rest will hardly be distinguished from D. rosacea." 



Goes suggested that d'Orbigny's name Rosalina should be 

 revived for forms referred to C ymhalopora, Hagenow's figures 

 being of doubtful nature ; but this would only lead to more 

 confusion. 



Agassiz, in his " Three Cruises of the Blake " (G), and Egger, 

 in his " Foraminifera of the Gazelle " (H), also refer to and 

 figure this foram, but neither add anything to our knowledge of 

 the subject. 



The latest notice on the subject of this form is contained in 

 the recently published work of Mr. F. Chapman, *' The Fora- 

 minifera " (I). He writes of C. hidloides : " The chief 

 difference in this form is the large inflated chamber which is 

 developed from the inferior surface of the test of an ordinary 

 Cymbalopora of the variety sqimmosa, 



" This pelagic modification is particularly interesting on account 

 of the frequent occurrence of embryonic shells living witljin the 

 balloon-like chamber, and which are liberated through an ento- 

 solenian orifice." 



