388 TORREY 



Genus Charisea gen. nov. 



Body wall smooth. No parapet, nor acrorhagi. Mesenteries in 

 three cycles ; the six pairs of primaries alone perfect. Gonads on 

 primary pairs only. Tentacles moderate. Strong endodermal circu- 

 lar muscle layer, with no distinct sphincter. 



Among the genera of Actiniidse, Charisea is most nearly related to 

 Macrodactyla and Condylactis. It differs from the former in having 

 no suckers on the column, and in the restriction of the gonads to the 

 six primary pairs of mesenteries. The absence of a parapet and its 

 regular mesenterial formula distinguish it from Condylactis. 



CHARISEA SAXICOLA sp. nov. 



[(PI. XXIV, figs. 6-9; text-figs. 18, 19.) 



Locality. — Sitka. 



This actinian was found in considerable numbers on the shore rocks 

 at Sitka. An idea of its general form is given on Plate xxiv. In 

 contraction, the column varies from three quarters to one and one 

 half inches in length, and from three sixteenths to half an inch in 

 diameter. The foot disk may be as broad as the column. When pre- 

 served, it contracts much and is largely concealed by the dilation of 

 the thin region of the wall just above it. 



The column is smooth, unperforated by cinclides, and without para- 

 pet or acrorhagi. The tentacles are of moderate length, subequal, 

 slender and pointed. There may be 44, 46, 48, or 50 of them, in 

 three cycles, corresponding approximately with the mesenteries within. 

 They may be drawn completely into the body, the wall contracting 

 over them in a characteristic manner (fig. 8). 



The color of the column in preserved material is a yellow-brown, 

 lighter near the foot. The tentacles are yellow. 



Structure. — The body wall is much thicker above than near the 

 foot. The ectoderm contains numerous gland cells and nematocysts. 

 The mesogloea is lamellated. The endodermal cells are large vacuo- 

 lated, with a sprinkling of gland cells and a strongly folded layer of 

 circular muscle fibers. 



The oesophagus has two siphonoglyphs, between which it is strongly 

 folded. The ridges of the folds are packed with gland cells full of 

 granules. Nematocysts are plentiful. There is a third type of cell, 

 probably glandular, which is abundant on the whole oesophageal wall. 

 It is oval in shape, has a sharp contour, is much larger than a nemato- 

 cyst, and takes and gives up stains with equal difficulty. It resembles 



