520 Transactions. 



question, and these, after a proper geological survey, the Govern- 

 ment ought to undertake, to assure to the people as a whoh 

 benefits to which all are entitled. 



Inland the rocks are more broken and shattered than to- 

 wards the coast, and so the oil reaches the surface by means 

 of the fractures, it being forced upward by the gases that are 

 seeking an exit. But the practical tests must settle the question. 

 As far as my ow}i personal knowledge goes I have indicated 

 the location of the greensands and oil-bearing shales, and it is 

 for those who desire to obtain oil and who have faith in the 

 facts to put theory to the test, or else call on the Government 

 to carry out a proper geological survey, with a view to obtaining 

 more rehable data than I have been able to give here. 



Art. XLVII. — Notes on Two Marine Gymnomyxa. 



By H. B. KiBK, M.A., Professor of Biology, Victoria College, 



Wellington. 

 {Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, ^th September, 1906. T 



Plates XXV and XXVI. 

 When tracing the development of a polychaete worm, in January 

 of this year, I observed in the gelatinous matter in which the 

 eggs of the worm were imbedded two Gymnomyxa — one a mem- 

 ber of the Lobosa, the other nearer to the Labyrinthulidea than 

 to any other class. I had these organisms under observation 

 at the seaside during a fortnight ; but I was not able in that 

 time to fully trace the life-history of either. These notes must 

 therefore be regarded as preliminary only. 



Amoeba agilis, n. sp. Plate XXV. 



Endoplasm often not noticeably granular in appearance ; 

 pseudopodia varying, being sometimes blunt and rounded, at 

 others tapering and flexible. Nucleus occasionally visible in 

 unstained specimens ; always easily seen in stained sjDecimens. 

 No contractile vacuole. Sometimes the animal is sluggish,, 

 but usually it moves quickly and, when well nourished, divides 

 rapidly. When preparing for division the animal usually draws 

 itself out into two masses, a more active mass drawing away, 

 as it were, from a less active mass, the two remaining connected 

 for a short time by an isthm s of non-granular matter, which 

 finally gives way. In Plate XXV, figs. 1 to 27, are given outlines 



