108 THE OCEANIC HYDROZO\. 



Forskal pointed out the peculiarity in the direction of the crest, ia his species of Velella-. 

 "Ab uno ejus margine ad alteram oblique transiens ita ut quamcunque extremitatem advertas, 

 pone ad dextram ante ad sinistram spectet ;" and Chamisso and Eysenhardt, supposing that 

 direction to be constant, made it the basis of their subsections of the genus, distinguishing 

 right-handed and left-handed Velellie. 



" Falli autem videtur, si unicam Velellarum speciem existere, contendit, tres enim formae 

 facile distinguuntur, si ad directionem velse respexeris et longitudinem corporis cum ejus 

 latitudine comparaveris. Vela semper obliqua est, quod auctores omnes annotavere; sed 

 duplici modo. Cum enim laterum corporis longiorum alteram dextrum, alteram sinistrum et 

 breviorum alterum anticura, alteram posticum nominaveris, tunc vela vel ab antica parte 

 ad posticam simulque a sinistra ad dextrum tendit (Vela sinistra, Velella sinistra), vel ab 

 antica parte ad posticum simulque a dextra ad sinistram cursum dirigit (Vela dextra, Velella 

 oblonffu et lata). Directio htec cum ratione diametri sequentes constituit formas."' 



Chamisso then goes on to describe his three species, but a statement of Eschscholz, who 

 was his companion in Kotzebue's voyage, renders it difficult to understand what value is to be 

 attached to them. 



" During the voyage of the Rurick with Captain Kotzebue, we observed that the direction 

 of the shell in the membrane which surrounds it is not always the same. In some, tlie nearer end 

 of the shell was to the right hand, in others, to the left. Chamisso described these Velella, 

 in 1823 [sic], in the tenth volume of the 'Nova Acta Akad. Leop. -Carol.,' t. xxxii, and drew 

 attention to the variation in the position of the shell; but unfortunately both descriptions and 

 figures reverse everything (geben alles verkehrt an). But, inasmuch as I drew and described 

 the animals at the same time, I can rearrange them. No great weight, however, can be placed 

 upon the position of the shell, for having taken three specimens out of a fleet of Velellce in the 

 Atlantic, I observed that in two the shell lay from right to left, while, in the other, it lay from 

 left to right." ^ 



I cannot understand this statement of Eschscholz, for it will be observed that Chamisso 

 does not speak of the position of the shell, but of that of the crest ; and to complete the 

 confusion, on comparing Eschscholz's figures with this description I find that they also are 

 all reversed. Thus it is said to be the character of the first division that" If one of the longer 

 sides of the animal is turned towards the observer the shell lies from the anterior angle of the 

 left side to the posterior angle of the right side." On turning to the figure of V. septentrionalis 

 (fig. 1, t. xv), I find that in placing it in the position indicated the shell lies from the anterior 

 angle of the right side to the posterior angle of the left side. 



In addition, Eschscholz establishes the genus Bataria, but I have no doubt whatsoever 

 that, as De Blainville supposed, these are nothing but young Velella, such as I have figured 

 in PI. XI, fig. 9. Eschscholz describes, altogether, ten species, but I doubt the sufficiency 

 of his definitions. 



My own observations on this genus are but fragmentary, relating chiefly to the develop- 

 ment of the gonocalyces, which eventually become free medusiform zooids : the distribution of 

 the vascular canals in the soft parts ; and the structure of the young forms. In the following 



^ ' System der Akalephen,' p. 169. 



' ' De Animalibus quibusdam,' Nova Acta, torn, x, pars secunda, 1821. 



