16 NEW INVERTEBRATA FROM 



on its attachment and is sometimes, by the contraction of 

 the bell, thrown directly across the opening into the bell 

 cavity. 



The proboscis of Microcampana is simple, without ap- 

 pendages, having a slightly darker color than the bell. 

 The bell has a pink color, the tentacular bases are bright 

 red, and the proboscis is yellow. 



The function of the single, stiff tentacle can hardly be 

 supposed to be the same as that of the long flexible ap- 

 pendages of Sarsia or Steenstrupia. It is almost identi- 

 cal in form with that of the four tentaclesof Dipurena and 

 possibly has a similar function. 



Its distal extremity is less dumb-bell shaped than in 

 the last mentioned genus, but the internal wall has a simi- 

 lar pigmentation. 



Velella meridionalis sp. nov. 



(PLATE I, FIGS. 1,2,3; PLATE II, FIG. 3.) 



The only member of the Velellidte which has been men- 

 tioned from our west coast is a Velella closely allied to 

 V. Septenlrionalis Esch. Eschscholtz gives a figure which 

 easily distinguishes his medusa, but shows a marked rec- 

 tangular form in the veil or float which the more southern 

 species does not have. In most of the southern repre- 

 sentatives the umbrella is more oval than that figured by 

 Eschscholtz. Although it is possible that the individuals 

 studied by me were young, the m;my diflbrences Avhich ex- 

 ist between the specimens which I collected and those col- 

 lected by Eschscholtz, would seem to show that two species 

 of this genus exist on the Californian coast. 



Velella meridionalis has an oval- shaped mantle of a 

 l)lue and yellow color. When seen from the edge it is 

 thin and flexible. This part, ordiuarily called the body, 

 floats on the surface of the water. Embedded in it, placed 



