270 MR. GOSSE ON PEACHIA HASTATA. 
the Pulmograde Medusæ, since I have observed it in several of the Covered-eyed genera. 
The affinity between the Arachnoderm and Actinoderm classes of Raptata was already 
known to be close; and these curious facts may add another link to the connexion. 
If the rupture and inversion of the body in this instance was a normal process, it still 
would not be inconsistent with the function which I assign (from analogy with other 
Actiniade) to the curious papillated duct at the side of the mouth. Ova or living young 
may be discharged through this orifice, at intervals, during life, and yet the most prolific 
birth may be reserved for the period of the parent’s decease, when the whole contents of 
the ovaries are committed to the waves. é 
Whether it was so or not, however, I did not ascertain; for, about a week later, or 
eighteen days after the evolution, I perceived that the mucous integuments were decom- 
posing and becoming offensive. The ovaries and their bands wore nearly the same 
appearance as before; but some of the former were dispersing in flocculent shreds, in 
' which I could not detect any embryos more advanced than those which I had before 
examined. The frilled bands maintained spontaneous motion, but very slow. I there- 
fore took the specimen from the vase and examined it. I found it completely inverted ; 
the tentacles were set around the interior of one extremity, and the papillated orifice at 
the edge of the mouth was very distinctly seen. The papillæ are arranged around the 
orifice in flat hand-like eminences, each containing three or four papillæ, resembling 
fingers. The dark-brown cores, so well-defined that they look like solid bodies, under 
pressure appear to consist of pigment-cells or granules, of similar consistence to that of 
the surrounding flesh. 
The anal extremity was much more distinct than before; the orifice being 3th of an 
inch in diameter, and perfectly defined, with striæ radiating from its margin, and the 
thickened septa commencing in a circle around it. Eten 
No sac-like fundus was visible to the stomach, but it seemed to merge into the visceral 
cavity, as described by M. Hollard (Ann. des Sci. Nat. 1851), and by Dr. Cobbold (Ann. 
Nat. Hist. 1853); differing only in the fact just mentioned, that this cavity had a 
posterior orifice. Ber | | 
The possession of an excretory orifice to the body is a character of sufficient importance 
to separate this species from the genus Actinia. I therefore propose to constitute a 
genus for it, by the name of Peachia, as a tribute to the zeal, industry, and success with 
which marine zoology has been studied by Mr. Charles W. Peach. I am influenced in 
this selection of a name, also, by the circumstance that a species discovered by that 
gentleman in Cornwall, and named by him Actinia chrysanthellum, appears to resemble 
the present species closely, and may prove to belong to the same genus. It is very 
minute, whereas this is a zoophyte of large dimensions; and the describer has not 
mentioned the existence of a posterior orifice, nor of any papillated structure in front. 
The former may, however, have been overlooked. 
The genus and species may be thus characterized :— 
SER PEACHIA, Gosse. 
Corpus elongatum, subcylindricum, pyriforme, v. fusiforme, ditrematum, liberum; tenta- 
