A new Species ot Nectoneinertes. 339 



usually befalls delicate organisms captured by the dredge on the 

 sea fluor, indicates also that they had been taken at some inter- 

 mediate depth. The specimen described by Joubin was captured 

 by means of a vertical net lowered to a depth of 3000 meters, and 

 as no mention is made of contact with the bottom, he is inclined 

 with Vekeill to consider it an activly swimming species. In all of 

 the specimens of K. pelagica the lateral margins of the body are 

 produced into two thin fin-like projections, giving the animal a 

 decided fish-like appearance. It is to be noted however that these 

 lateral folds are not especially muscular, rather the reverse, and if 

 they take any part in the locomotion it is very probably as a rudder. 



The more important measurements of the t3'pe specimen are as 

 follows: total length 41 mm; length of head — level of base of 

 cirri — 4,5 mm; width of head 5,3 mm; greatest width of body 

 7,2 mm ; length of cirri 6 mm ; thickness of head 3,3 mm ; thickness 

 (average) of body 2,5 mm. 



The epithelium is evidently very delicate and readily dislodged, 

 for in two specimens it is entirely wanting and in the other it 

 occupies but a small area on the dorsal side of the animal in the 

 posterior part of the body (Fig. 13). Nowhere is any present on the 

 ventral surface. From such scant material it appears that over the 

 body generally the cells are relativly low but in the mid dorsal 

 line, in the neighborhood of the dorsal nerve, and especially at the 

 sides of the body their height becomes more than twice as great. 

 In these two last named locations the component elements (Fig. 19) 

 are clearly seen to embrace supporting cells, gland cells and inter- 

 stitial cells, some of which are connective tissue. 



The supporting cells are of the usual goblet shape, the stem 

 being twice as long as the slender bowl but in the material in hand 

 all traces of cilia have disappeared. In regions where the epithelium 

 is low these cells become almost cubical and the stem disappears 

 completely or becomes very short. 



The gland cells consist of two types. The more conspicuous is 

 likewise club-shaped with a narrow root-like projection extending 

 inward to the basement membrane, while the swollen portion contains 

 an abundance of some homogeneous secretion staining activly with 

 logwood dyes. In the mid line such cells occur with comparative 

 frequency, along the sides of the body they appear to be lacking 

 completely, while in an intermediate position, where the epithelium 

 is low, they are relativly scarce and like the cells of the foregoing 



Zool. Jahrb. XXIII. Abt. f. Anat. '^"^ 



