210 TBALTA TUBEROULATA (COCKS). 



column closely beset witli numerous large, adhesive warts, which are 

 largest on the margin ; base extending beyond the column, no 

 acontia or cinclides ; size large, diameter exceeding the height ; 

 numerous complete mesenteries, circular muscle very thick and strong. 

 Of this genus there seem to be three species known : T. crassi- 

 cornis (Miiller), distinguished provisionally by the number of tentacles, 



5, 5, 10, 20, 40 ; T. tuherculata (Cocks), distinguished by the ideal 

 number of tentacles — 5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and by the irregularity of the 

 tentacles in number and in shape ; T. hunodiformis (Hertwig), de- 

 cribed in the Challenger Report. Tealia digitata has been removed 

 from the genus ; it is a Chondractinia, one of the Sagartian genera. 



There is one other described species which requires consideration 

 in connection with the Genvis Tealia, namely, Bolocera eqiies, Gosse. 

 It is certain, I think, that Bolocera eques does not belong to the 

 genus Bolocera ; its characters, as described by Gosse (British Sea 

 Anemones and Corals, 1860), are quite inconsistent with Gosse's own 

 definition of Bolocera. The specific characters are, tentacles wholly 

 retractile, white, encircled with a red ring; in these respects the 

 tentacles agree with those of the genus Tealia. Gosse's figure gives 

 only a few scattered warts, but his description says the column is 

 " studded on the upper two thirds with numerous minute warts in- 

 creasing in number to the margin ; these are either prominent or 

 level at the pleasure of the animal, and they have the power of 

 attaching fragments of entraneous matter, which, however, seems 

 rarely exercised/' All this applies perfectly to Tealia tuherculata 

 (Cocks) ; all the rest of Gosse's description applies equally to Tealia 

 tuherculata, except the formula of the tentacles, which is given as 



6, 6, 12, 24, 48, 48 = 144. If the tentacles are really thus arranged 

 of course the form must be distinct from T. tuherculata, but con- 

 sidering the peculiar irregularity of the tentacles in the latter species 

 and the unusual equality of the two outer cycles in Gosse's formula, 

 it is possible that he made an error in the enumeration. I have 

 little doubt myself that Bolocera eques is a synonym of Tealia 

 tuherculata, and until someone has identified a specimen of Bolocera 

 eques I shall hold this opinion. No one has yet identified Bolocera 

 eques, except Gosse himself, who only saw two specimens, one from 

 twenty-eight fathoms off the mouth of the Tees, the other from 

 Banff. 



Tealia tuherculata occurs most commonly in this neighbourhood, in 

 about thirty fathoms, to the west of the Eddystone ; it is especially 

 common on the shelly ground off the Dodman Point. It is fre- 

 quently taken in the Cattewater, but it owes its presence there to the 

 fact that the trawlers often carry their '' scruff " to the Cattewater 

 and throw it overboard after they have anchored. 



