114 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



(c) I was able to observe the largest specimen in the 

 living condition. I have already stated that it was attached 

 by its oral disk to an oral arm of the Medusa. Its 

 general form was elongatedly conical, swelling out somewhat 

 beneath the insertion of the tentacles, and narrowing greatly 

 at the other end of the column ; but doubtless the animal 

 is capable of changing its shape to a considerable extent. 

 The tentacles of the living animal were of a very dull, pale, 

 bluish-grey colour. The column was very dull, reddish- 

 brown, almost flesh-coloured, and showed longitudinal and 

 transverse markings, probably corresponding to the grooves 

 observed in spirit-preserved specimens. The conical ten- 

 tacles are still twelve in number, but more elongated than 

 in the earlier stages. Internally, at the base of each, is a 

 saccular outgrowth corresponding to the similar cushion-like 

 outgrowths noticed in the younger larvae, but considerably 

 larger. After preservation in spirit, the animal measured 

 about 7'5 mm. in length and 6 mm. in diameter of the oral 

 disk, excluding the tentacles. 



I at first thought that my specimens were referable to the 

 well known genus, Halcaiinpa, and even to the species 

 H. clavus, of which there is a good figure in Professor 

 Hertwig's Report on the Challenger Actiniaria (Plate 3, Fig. 

 4). The pr-esence of the remarkable outgrowths at the bases 

 of the tentacles, however, shows that they cannot belong to 

 that species, and even makes the generic identification 

 doubtful. I do not think that these curious outgrowths 

 have hitherto been observed in any other forms ; according 

 to Haddon's figures they are entirely wanting in the British 

 Ualca.mpaj chrysanthelhmi. They may ])ossibly serve as 

 adhesive organs, by means of which the parasite is attached 

 to its host. 



Actiniae are very difficult animals to preserve, and, 

 although I took great care, I was not very successful in the 

 preservation of my specimens. I therefore postpone giving 

 figures and an account of the histology of the species, until 

 better material is forthcoming. Meantime, it seemed to me 

 worth while to call attention to the existence of these 

 interesting parasites in Port Phillip, and to request other 

 naturalists to search for them should the opportunity arise. 

 It still remains to discover the adult Actinian of which they 

 are the larval forms. 



