[Proc. Eot. Soc, Victoria 23 (N.S.), Pt. I., 1910.] 



Art. X. — Ohxrrv<ili(>ns on Parmidaria obliqua and a 



Fossil Species. 



By C. M. MAPLESTONE. 



(With Plate X.) 

 [Eead 9th June, 1910.] 



Parmularia obliqua, McG. (PI. X.) 



Dr. Yerco also sent me some specimens of Parmularia 

 obliciua, a species which I had not before seen. This species is 

 described by Dr. MacGillivray under the name of Eschara 

 obliqua in Prof. McCoy's Prodomus of the Zoology of Victoria, 

 Decade V., page 39, plate 48, fig. 1, from the only specimen he 

 had seen, collected at Schnapper Point, which was imperfect. 

 Kirchenpauer also described the same form under the name of 

 Eschara reniformis in the Catalogue of the GodeffVoy Museum. 



The specimens Avere dredged in Backstairs Passage and Gulf 

 St. Vincent, S.A., at from 14 to 24 fathoms. They include one 

 adult form, which is kidney-shaped, 25 mm. wide and 17 mm. 

 high ; it is composed of two layers of zooecia, back to back, 

 and bears numerous ooecia. The other specimens are younger 

 forms, and have not developed the kidney-shape of the adult 

 nor ooecia ; they are either fan-shaped, with obtusely crenated 

 edges, or are palmate ; in them the zooecia are arranged in 

 regular rows, and in the palmate form illustrated is shown such 

 a symmetrical and beautiful arrangement of the zooecia that 

 I consider it worthy of illustration. 



This species is particularly noticeable on account of its 

 growth and habit : it does not, like most other calcareous poly- 

 zoa. grow upon the surface of rocks, algae,- shells, etc., but is 

 furnished with a long flexible stem or filament some 6 or 7 

 cm. long and 2 mm, thick, upon the sumniit of which the 

 zoarium is attached. The point of attachment is at the 

 curved indentation in the centre of the lower margin of the 

 zoarium. Tlie filament is, Dr. Verco informs me, in the living 



