THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 163 



Starfish, the name of which I do not know. We had previously 

 on this cruise dredged the not uncommon Pentagonaster aurata, 

 the measurements of typical specimens of which M'Coy gives in 

 his Prodromus as diameter from tip to tip of rays 2 inches 6 lines, 

 and from edge to edge between rays i inch 6 lines. The specimen 

 mentioned above measured respectively 4 inches 3 lines, and 3 

 inches 3 lines, so that the rays were relatively not so long. In 

 other respects they agree closely. I might here mention that in 

 Western Port I have dredged a specimen of the following 

 measurements : — Diameter from tip to tip of rays, 4 inches 7 lines, 

 and between the rays 2 inches 5 lines. Bringing these measure- 

 ments to a similar proportion for each, and taking the diameter 

 from tip to tip of rays as ico, then the distance from edge to 

 edge between the rays measure — Pentagonaster aurata, ^-^^ ; one 

 from Western Port, ^^^-y ; one from Port Phillip, ^-J-^. 



Amongst a large number of sessile-eyed crustaceans we may 

 mention the following Amphipods : — Eusiroides casaris, Syrrhoe 

 semiserrata, Atyloides australis, Elasmopus subcarinata, Autonce. 

 philacantha ; and of crabs, the Hermit, Eupagurus lacerto&us, 

 and also the very interesting Boring Hermit, Cancellus typus. 

 This form, instead of inhabiting a univalve shell, and having one 

 of its front legs specially developed to act as an operculum to 

 close the mouth of the shell, is of symmetrical form, and has the 

 two first pairs of legs differentiated to close the opening of its 

 hole, which is bored in a stone or other foreign object. The 

 outer face of these legs are furred, and together fit closely, and 

 very effectually hide the opening, so much so that i_t is next to 

 impossible to find them when first brought out of the water. It 

 is only alter being laid aside on deck for a while that they reveal 

 themselves by protruding from their holes in a desire to get back 

 to their watery element. 



Amongst worms we took a itv^ specimens of the interesting 

 genus Syllis, having moniliform tentacles and cirri. The members 

 of this and allied genera are remarkable for their reproduction by 

 budding and fission. The method of one species, S. ramosa, I 

 quote from Dr. Benham (" Cambridge Natural History," vol. ii., 

 p. 282) : — "This worm consists of a main stem, whence arise a 

 number of lateral branches, which may also branch so as to give 

 rise to an arborescent colony. The branches of the first and 

 second and higher orders arise by budding from the sides of the 

 original form or branches of lower order ; and some of these 

 branches develop generative products, and bud forth a head near 

 the point of attachment. These sexual branches no doubt separ- 

 ate from the colony and distribute the ova." 



We also dredged a few of the Crinoid or Feather Starfish 

 {Antedon pumila), some Brittle Stars, and of Polyzoa I may 

 note the peculiar Cryptozoon wilsoni ; this genus differs from 



