MISCELLANEA. 
POLYZOA. 
THE OCCURRENCE OF ENTOPROCTA IN INDIAN WATERS.—On 
the stems of specimens of the Hydroid genera Bimeria and Tubu- 
laria collected at Port Canning on March roth, 1912, I finl a minute 
entoproctous polyzoon that appears to be specifically identical 
with Busk’s Barentsia (or Ascopodaria) discreta, a species origi- 
nally found at Tristan da Cunha in 100 to 150 fathoms by the 
‘« Challenger *’ Expedition (Busk, Zool. Rep. ‘‘ Challenger,’’ vol. 
xvii, part L (Polyzoa II), p. 44, pl. X, figs 6—12), but recently 
recorded from Ceylon by Miss L. Thornley, apparently from shal- 
low water (Herdman’s Rep. Ceylon Pearl Fisheries, part iv, p. 
128). My specimens are much smaller than the type-specimens, 
the full-grown heads measuring only about o'21 mm. in length 
and 018 mm. in transverse diameter, the same measurements as 
given by Busk being 0°5 and 04 mm. The length of the stalk 
and the proportions of the muscular bulb at its base vary 
considerably and the zoaria are colourless. Otherwise I can 
detect no divergence from Busk’s original figures and description. 
Miss Thornley states that the specimens she examined were of a 
reddish colour. In view of the conditions under which the species 
was growing at Port Canning it is not surprising that it should be 
dwarfed, and I do not consider it advisable in the circumstances to 
give the phase a separate name. My specimens were found on 
Hydrozoa that grew on stones and logs partially embedded in 
dense mud at the edge of the river Mutlah. They were just 
uncovered by an unusually low tide. The water at the point 
at which they occurred contains in March about 25°46 per mille of 
saline residue. 
Prof. K. Ramunni Menon has recently sent me a specimen of 
Barentsia gracilis (Sars) taken in Madras harbour. The species is 
common in Europe and has been recorded from the Pacific coast 
of N. America by Miss Robertson (Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (3) I. 
p. 344) and from Australian waters by Kirkpatrick (Ann. Mag. 
Nat, Hist, (6) 11, p. 21, 1888). 2 
The list of Entoprocta as yet known from Indian seas is a 
very short one, comprising, so far as I am aware, only three 
species :— 
Barenisia gracilis. Madras harbour. 
ent (R. Mutlah, Port Canning, Gangetic 
23 ( delta and Ceylon. 
Loxosomatoides colonialis. Brackish ponds, Port Canning. 
N. ANNANDALE. 
