206 TEALIA TUBEBCULATA (COCKS). 



apply so perfectly to tlie form I refer to that it is certain tliat my 

 specimens belong to the same species as the specimen examined by 

 Cocks. These points are (1) that the column is ^' densely covered 

 with large greyish-white tubercles, the apex of each tubercle de- 

 pressed •'' (2) that the tentacles are '' large, numerous, obtuse, some 

 bifurcated, others trifurcated/' This division of the tentacles does 

 not occur in all specimens, and when it does occur is present only in 

 two or three tentacles out of the whole number ; it is confined to the 

 extremity of the tentacle, which divides into two or three terminal 

 portions, or bears a secondary tentacle growing from it almost at 

 right angles. This branching of the tentacles is not therefore a con- 

 stant character, and does not occur always on particular tentacles, 

 but it is a kind of abnormal growth which has, so far as I know, only 

 been observed to occur in this species. (3) Mr. Cocks' specimen was 

 attached to a valve of Pecten maximus, and all the specimens I have 

 received were attached to the surface (usually the inner) of single 

 valves of large Lamellibranchs, most frequently valves of Cyprina 

 islandica or Pinna pectinata. 



Description of the species. — The size is large, ranging from 8 to 

 13 cm. in diameter of base and 2 to 5 cm. in height in the expanded 

 condition. The tentacles are usually short and blunt with transverse 

 stripes of colour. The disc is reddish or brownish in the centre 

 round the mouth. The walls of the stomodeeum are yellowish, 

 wrinkled with longitudinal folds, and tumid. The directive or 

 oesophageal grooves are very conspicuous, their surfaces are smooth 

 and white, but at the upper end of each there is a slight pi'ojection 

 of the oral disc which is distinguished by being more brightly 

 coloured than the rest of the disc. The external part of the disc is 

 of a light yellowish tint, but radiating striee of red pass from the 

 central coloured part to the bases of the tentacles, the base of each 

 tentacle being enclosed by two such coloured striae. The extent of 

 the red-brown central area of the disc varies considerably, — sometimes 

 it is absent altogether, sometimes it extends almost to the origin 

 of the internal cycle of tentacles. This coloured area always dis- 

 appears in specimens kept for some months in our aquarium, the 

 whole disc becoming of a pale drab colour. The primary tentacles 

 are distinguished by two milk-white bands, which lie within the red 

 strl^ enclosing the base of each, and which extend outwards from 

 each primary tentacle to the most exterior cycle of tentacles, where 

 they pass on to the adjacent sides of two tentacles belonging to this 

 cycle. The tentacles are translucent with transverse rings of faint 

 colour ; the base is white ; above this is a band of very faint red, 

 then comes another band of white, then another band of red much 

 more pronounced, and finally the tip is white. The tip of each ten- 



