STYLACTIS SARSII. 303 



In the Sti/laclis (PodocQry,)ie) fudcola of Sars the hydrorhizal network sends off nuinerous 

 cliitinous spines, resembling those of the true Podocori/nes and of Ili/dractinia. They appear to 

 be simple processes of the chitinons perisarc' 



*^* 1. Stylactis Sarsii, AUman. 



PoDocoRYNE cARNEA, — Surs, Faiin. lit. Norv., 1846, p. 7, tab. ii, figs. 5 — 11. 

 Stylactis Saksii, — AUman, in Ann. Nat. Hist, for ]May, 1861. 



TROPHOSOME. — Hydeantiis with from twelve to tliirty tentacles, those carrying 

 gonophores quite similar in size and otherwise resembling those on which no gono- 

 phores have been developed. 



GONOSOME. — Spobosacs globular, arranged in a verticil at about the middle 

 of the body of the hydrantli. 



Colour. — Hydranths pale red, gonophores with yellowish-red spadix, ova crimson. 

 Development of Gonosome observed in March. 

 Habitat. — On empty univalve shells in the sea. 

 Bathi/melrical distribution. — Coralline zone ? 

 Locality. — Coast of Norway, Sars. 



Notwithstanding the marked difference in the gonosome between this hydroid and the 

 Podocorync carnea, Sars, to whom alone our knowledge of it is due, believed it to be only a 

 particular state of Podocoryne carnea. In this, however, he was certainly mistaken, as he him- 

 self afterwards admitted." There is nothing to justify the belief that the same colony produces 



' Hindis would apply Pliilippi's name of Dysmorptiosa to the forms which, under tlie name of 

 Stylactis, I separated geuerically from the true Podocorynes with which they were associated by Sars. 

 Now, there is uo doubt that Dysmorplwsa has precedence, not only over Stylactis, but over Podocorijne. 

 It was not, however, to the Stylactis form that Philippi intended his name Bysmor/j/tosa to apply, for 

 though his description is far from being as full as could be desired, it is sufficiently so to leave no 

 doubt that he bad before him either a true Podocorync or a Hydractinia, and, it will apply just as well 

 to one of those genera as to the other. 



If we prefer to regard Podocoryne as the genus Philippi had iu view, it is tliis name, and not 

 Stylactis, that Dysmorptiosa must supplant, and then the name of Podocoryne may be applied e.x- 

 clusively to the Stylactis forms included by Sars along with the others under the general name of 

 Podocoryne. As the name of Podocoryne, however, has been already employed, for the medusa- 

 bearing forms alone, it will be better not to introduce further confusion into the existing nomenclature 

 by transferring this name to the sporosac-bearing Stylactis forms, 



" ' Bidrag til Kunds. ora Middelbavet's Littoral Fauna,' in which Sars expresses his belief that 

 the hydroid here described is specifically distinct from Podocoryne carnea, thougii generically associated 

 with it. I must here acknowledge my obligations to my friend Dr. Charles Wilson, of Edinburgh, to 

 whose extensive acquaintance with the languages of Scandinavia I am indebted for translations 

 of such portions of its zoological literature as are referred to in this mouograph. 



