REPORT ON THE ACTINIARIA. 5 



correct to replace the name Anthca by the older Anemonia, and to range the genus 

 Comactis under it. • On the other hand, my Comactis jiagelUfera is not identical with 

 Anemonia sulcata {Anthea cereus), and should therefore be referred to as Anemonia 

 fiagcllifera. 



In the system of Andres the Bunodidse bear the closest relation to my family 

 Tealidse. I was unacquainted with any typical Bunodes, and had supposed [cf. supra) 

 that they possessed acontia. This supposition is, according to Andres, incorrect ; and 

 the close relationship to Tealia is thus anew proven. Accordingly I withdraw the 

 name Tealidae in favour of the older designation Bunodidse ; but, now as formerly, the 

 endodermal sphincter must occupy the first place in the diagnosis. I relinquish, how- 

 ever, to future observers, as with the Paractidse, the decision whether forms with 

 smooth and with papillate body-wall should be separated from one another, or not. 



A last point of dispute with Angelo Andres lies in the fact that I reckon the 

 Halcampce among the Ilyanthidse, while he erects them into a separate family. I will 

 not decide in this place either for the one opinion or the other, but will discuss merely 

 the jjoint of view, which, as it seems to me, must be of importance for a decision. 



The more we have learnt in late years of the structure of these forms, the 

 more has it become apparent that Actinia, which are rounded posteriorly and 

 devoid of pedal disc, exhibit in most cases a sort of ancestral character ; eminently 

 primitive forms are, above all others, the Edwardsiae. Among such forms is the 

 genus HalcamjKt, from which again the genus Hulcampella is a transition to the 

 remaining Actiniae, in virtue of its numerous tentacles, and of its commencing to 

 exhibit accessory mesenteries. I opine that the genus Ryanthus stands in close 

 relation to the HalcampellcB ; the regular increase of the mesenterial pairs by multiples 

 of six, which is commencing in the one case, is in the other clearly expressed, 

 as may be inferred from the presence of the numerous longitudinal furrows of the 

 body-wall ; while the siphonoglyphes (ciliated grooves), the hinder edge of the body, 

 and the sphincter, are obviously of weak development, as among the Halcampcs. 

 Possibly a study of the mesenteries may yield further points of agreement, but, 

 unfortunately, nothing is accurately known of these important features in the structure 

 oi llyanthns ; and so long as this is the case, no conclusion can be certain. If my 

 expectations be confirmed, a union of the HalcampcB with the Ilyanthidte would be 

 desirable ; the latter would form a transitional famdy placed at the top of the 

 Hexactiniaj, and bridging the gap between them and the Edwardsise ; while, as a 

 peculiar and aberrant branch of the Actiniae, would be ranged near them the 

 Siphonactidse. the forms possessing a conchula. 



All the forms of which we have as yet spoken possess the typical digitate 

 or tubular Actinian tentacles, so arranged that one tentacle corresponds to each 

 radial chamber ; there are, however, two variations of this arrangement. In the one, 



