IV. 



Recent Observations on the Anatomy and 

 Development of the Brachiopoda. 



SOME important observations on the circulatory system of the 

 Brachiopoda will be found in an interesting memoir recently 

 presented to the Zoological Society of France (i), in which Dr. L. 

 Joubin, Assistant Professor at the Rennes Faculty of Sciences, 

 describes the anatomy of Waldheimia venosa, Solander, from the Straits 

 of Magellan — the largest but anatomically least known species of 

 this genus of the recent Brachiopoda. The specimens investigated 

 were obtained from Mr. P. D. CEhlert, of Laval, and by exchange 

 from the Zoological Department of the British Museum. It may, 

 therefore, be assumed that the species was correctly identified, 

 although neither figure nor description is given. Waldheimia venosa 

 is a broad, globose, variable species, with a large circular foramen 

 which mainly distinguishes it from W . lenticulariSy'Deshdiyes, from New 

 Zealand.^ To this robust form it is closely allied. In fact, Mr. 

 W.H. Dall (2) considers typical examples of W. leiiticularis, Deshayes, 

 " as a local race representing for New Zealand the Patagonian 

 venosa of Solander," which enjoys, of course, priority of nomenclature. 

 The American authority, it may be added, would also include W. 

 venosa (under the generic appellation of Eudesia) in the subfamily 

 Terebratulinae. Waldheimia venosa bears some external resemblance 

 to another large brachiopod, the Laqnens californicus of Koch, from 

 the North Pacific region, but the " snare-like " loop of this fine species 

 when adult is quite different, and it belongs to the subfamily 

 Terebratulinae. It is certain that the size of the foramen of the 

 articulated Brachiopoda is not a safe specific character, for it is much 

 affected by the quiet or troubled condition of the waters and the 

 nature of the sea-bottoms they inhabit. 



Dr. Joubin had previously given considerable attention to the 

 lyopomatous (3) and arthropomatous (4) brachiopoda while attached 

 to the Arago biological laboratory at Banyuls-sur-Mer. An English 



1 A smaller species, Wald. hergudencnsis, Dav., was dredged by the " Challenger " 

 in abundance off Marion Island and W. of Kerguelen Island. It is related to 

 W. knticularis, Desh., which also oc:ursin a fossil condition in the Upper Tertiaries 

 of New Zealand. 



