1907.] 



Records of the Indian Museum. 



201 



a zooid is developed .... From each swelling arise two 

 branches at right angles, and by the growth of these branches 

 and the development of zooecia, from which again other branches 

 arise, the growth of the colony continues, alwa^'s branching in a 

 rectangular direction, so that a matted mass results." 



Fig. 3. Fig. 4. 



Fig. 3. — Distal extremity of zooecium of V. pavida from Port Canning, with bud, 

 X 70. (From preserved specimens.) 



Fig 4— Resting buds \b) of V. pavida, with remains of zooecium, x 70 : Port 

 Canning, July, 1907. (From preserved specimens.) 



In the neighbourhood of Calcutta I have found specimens 

 corresponding with both of the phases thus described. Specimens 

 (fig. I) obtained in winter from the ponds at Port Canning, repre- 

 sented a phase similar to that found in September in England, 

 except that the whole of the zoarium was practically colourless. 

 Man}' of the zooecia bore lateral buds, which were situated in most 

 cases near the distal extremit3\ From these buds (fig. 3) originated 

 tubular outgrowths, which, in a few cases, gave rise to other zocEcia. 

 I did not find, however, examples that could be compared in com- 

 plexity with that figured by Kraepelin on plate iii, fig. 75, of the 

 work referred to under his name. The buds in my specimens w'ere, 

 moreover, less distinctly c^'lindrical than those he describes, being 

 shorter and more gradually rounded at the base. They were only 

 produced on a relatively small number of zooecia. 



Other specimens, taken earlier in the season in a canal, the 

 water of which was only slightly brackish, at Dhappa near Calcutta, 

 had the zocecia partially recumbent and of the same form as those 

 of the specimens taken by Bousfield in England in spring. The 



