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PRELIMINARY NOTE ON A BALANOaWSSUS VWOW 

 THE COAST OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



By Jas. p. Hill, F.L.S., Demonstrator op Biology, Sydney 

 University. 



During a recent collecting trip to Broken Buy I had the good 

 fortune to find the first examples of Balanoylossus recorded from 

 Australia. The first specimen found was picked up, l>y a boy I 

 had with me, adhering to the underside of a large stone on the 

 ocean beach opposite Creel Bay, Barranjoey. Subsequent search 

 revealed its presence in considerable abundance. More recently, 

 during a dredging expedition orgunised by Professor Haswell to 

 Jervis Bay, I found a single specimen, similar to those from 

 Barranjoey, adhering to the underside of a stone ; and systematic 

 search will no doubt reveal its existence at many other points on 

 the coast. 



The normal habitat of the animal is in loose gravelly sand, 

 especially in the loose sand under large stones, between liigh and 

 low water marks. It sccietes abundant mucus, to which sand 

 particles adhere, thus forming a sort of tube. The anterior part 

 of the animal is in some of a bright orange colour, the posterior 

 part being colourless, while others are colourless throughout; this 

 difference in colour probably indicates a sexual difference. None 

 of the odours so characteristic of some other species of Balano- 

 fjlossiis were detected. 



The largest specimen found measured, wlien only moderately 

 extended, over 7 inches and over an inch in circumference. 

 When fully extended it would measure considerably over a foot ; 

 but the majority of the individuals were much smaller. 



In a future paper I hope to lay before you the results of a 

 microscopic examination of this form, which is in all probability 

 a new species. 



