372 Linnean Society. [Mar. 20, 



Mr. N. B.Ward, F.L.S., exhibited a number of Autograph Letters 

 written by Sir John Franklin, Capt. Matthew Flinders, Sir Joseph 

 Banks, Toumefort, Antoine de Jussieu, Bernard de Jussieu, Antoine- 

 Laurent de Jussieu and Adrien de Jussieu. 



Read a " Description of Peachia hastata, a new genus and species 

 of the Class Zoophyta ; with observations on the Family Actiniada." 

 By Philip Henry Gosse, Esq., A.L.S. 



The specimens on which Mr. Gosse founds his new genus, Peachia, 

 were discovered by the Rev. Charles Kingsley in the months of 

 January and March 1854, in the vicinity of Torquay. INlr. Gosse 

 gives an elaborate description of the animal, both in reference to its 

 external and internal structure, together with a particular account 

 of its habits, derived from the communications of Mr. Kingsley as 

 well as from his own observations. He considers that the possession 

 of an excretory orifice to the body is a character of sufficient im- 

 portance to separate it from Actinia, and to constitute a new genus, 

 for which he proposes 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. He is also led to this selection of a 

 name, because he thinks it probable that a minute species, described 

 by Mr. Peach under the name oi Actinia chrysanthellum, may belong 

 to the same genus. The following are the characters, generic and 

 specific, of the animals in question : — 



Peachia, Gosse. 



Corpus elongatum, subcylindricum, pyriforme, v. fusiforme, ditrematum, 

 liberum ; tentaculis paucis, brevibus (disci diametrnm baud superanti- 

 bus), crassis, conicis, uniseriatis ; oviductu in tuberculum papillosum 

 desinente. 



1. Peachia hastata, corpore roseo lineis asqiialibus pallidis, tentaculis 

 12 albo-hyalinis seriebus 2 parallelis macularum sagittatarum brun- 

 nearum notatis, disco circulis duobus macularum brunneavum V-for- 

 mium cincto, oviductiis papillis numerosis aggregatis. 



2? P.? chrysanthellum, corpore cylindrico albido lineis ina?qualiter latis, 

 tentaculis brunneo-annulatis. 



Mr. Gosse considers the principal interest of this form to consist 

 in the decided approach which it makes to a higher type than that 

 of Actinodermata, assisting, together with the genus Edwardsia of 

 M. Quatrefages, to diminish the interval between the Actinia and 

 Holothuridee. Of the genus Edwardsia he observes that there are 



