57^ Chas. W. Hargitt. 



one or more organs. Some of these it may be worth while to 

 briefly consider in this connection. 



As in the former series, the chief variations noted were those of 

 the marginal organs, in which the range was from five, observed 

 in two specimens, to twelve, found in only a single specimen; 

 and in those of the vegetative organs — gonads, gastric and oral 

 appendages. In these the variation was similar to the former 

 series, though there was not close correlation, between the organs 

 of the two series. There was, however, almost perfect correlation 

 between the members of the same series. In other words, the 

 gastric lobes and oral pendants were the same in number, and 

 almost always of similar size. In a single case, and that a speci- 

 men having twelve marginal lobes and rhopalia, there was a 

 perfect correlation of all the organs, including gastric and oral. 

 In the usual crowding of the oral arms due to the large number 

 present, two of these organs had been forced into the center of the 

 group, the others forming a closely crowded circle about them. 

 An incidental feature of two of the oral arms was that of the branch- 

 ing or bifurcation of the terminal portions. In the one case the 

 lobes being unequal, while in the other they were quite uniform 

 in size, though with the tips organically fused, or grown together. 

 I have frequently found branched tentacles and oral arms, but 

 it is unusual to find a subsequent union of the branches. It is 

 rarely found in Hydra, and other hydroids, only a single case 

 having come under my own observations. 



Variations among the Rhizostomata have been recorded inci- 

 dentally by several other observers, among whom are Haeckel,* 

 Keller^ and Lendenfeld.^ The latter has given much more critical 

 attention to the details of the problem than either of the former. 

 This is, however, in relation to the larval, or ephyra history rather 

 than to that of the adult. Indeed, concerning the adult this 

 observer has recorded but a single case amony many specimens of 

 Crambressa mosaica. Among specimens of Phyllorhiza punctata 

 he records having noted those with more than the normal number 

 of marginal bodies, but believes these supernumerary organs 

 to have been a result of abnormal growth following injury. 



'Haeckel, E., Das System der Medusen, 1879. 

 ^Keller, C, Zeits. f. wiss. Zobl., Bd. xxxviii, S. 641. 

 ^Lendenfeld, R. von., ibid, Bd. xlvii, S-. 260, et seq. 



