298 DE. J. E. DUEEDEN ON THE 



Biinodeoims, the family contains tlie genera Alicia, Cystiactis, and Thaumactis, and in 

 1898 Carlgren included the genus Phymactis of Milne-Edwards and Haime. 



As a result of the discovery of the ectodermal columnar musculature in Bunodeopsis, 

 and also in Thanmactls, Carlgren (1898, p. 17 ; 1900, p. 28) considers that the family Aliciidae 

 as at present constituted is made up of heterogeneous members, and indicates that it will 

 be necessary to remove the two genera mentioned and associate them with the Tribe 

 Protanthese. He further states that he is preparing a revision of the family. With the 

 many representatives at his command Carlgren is in a much better position for carrying 

 out such a revision than any other student of the Actinise, and it is desirable that 

 a fuller account of Verrili's species of Bunodeopsis should be available. 



Bunodeopsis globulifera, Verrill. 



Bunodeopsis, u. sp., Duerden, 1898, p. 456. 

 Viatrix globulifera, Verrill, 1899, p. 146, fig. 20. 

 Bunodeopsis globulifera, Verrill, 1900, p. 559, pi. 67. fig. 4. 



The base is loosely adherent or free, broad, flattened or eucircliug marine plants, 

 approximately circular, and thin- walled. In pi-eserved specimens it is usually irregular 

 in form, the middle deeply concave, and the periphery irregularly sinuate ; concentric 

 and radiating grooves are also present. 



The column is erect, thin-walled, partly transparent, contractile, broad below and 

 gradually narrowing above, passing directly into the tentacles. The limbus is circular 

 in living, but strongly crenulated and lobed in preserved sj)ecimens. The lower region 

 of the column, for about two-thirds of the total height, is nearly covered with small 

 sj)heroidal vesicles, the upper one-third is naked and smooth. The naked region is 

 much more limited in extent in preserved polyps than in living specimens, and Verrili's 

 drawings and description would seem to have been founded upon the former. The 

 apex of the column is devoid of acrorhagi. It is very rarely infolded, but where 

 this takes place the disc, tentacles, and naked part of the column become hidden, 

 and only the region bearing the vesicles remains exposed. 



The disposition of the vesicles sometimes appears irregular, though as a ride they are 

 seen to be arranged in vertical rows of different heights, but no regularity in longer and 

 shorter cycles has been established. Towards the base two or three rows of minute 

 tubercles may alternate with a row of large outgrowths. In both his figures Verrill 

 represents the vesicles as irregularly distributed, with scarcely any variation in size, 

 though in the text he notes that larger and smaller ones are mingled together. The 

 species undoubtedly varies greatly in its outward appearance. 



The evaginatious are simple, sessile or sub-pedunculate, hollow, smooth throughout, 

 opaque, and thick-walled in comparison with the column-wall generally. They are 

 variable in size, some appearing as mere rounded tubercles, while others are seen as 

 distinct vesicular outgrowths ; most are spheroidal, but the larger examples may be 

 reniform. Dilierent sizes are intermingled, but in general the organs increase in size 

 from below upwards, at the same time diminishing in numbers. 



