198 Southern Cross. 



iurtlier evidence is forthcoming, considev the nunie of the species to 

 be Uistajjlia ignota, Hrdn. 



In 1894 Mr. Caiman ^ described, under the name of Jidivia 

 australis, a large colony from the Antarctic, which he considered 

 to be " nearly related, if not identical," with my ' Challenger ' species. 

 Mr. Caiman's specimen had been found by Dr. C. M. Donald floating 

 oil the surface of the sea in the north of Erebus and Terror (hilf, 

 where it is said that " considerable quantities were seen." Although 

 partly ragged and beginning to decay, Mr. Caiman's specimen was 

 in sufficiently good condition to enaljle him to make out all essential 

 points in the anatomy, and he correctly refers the species to the 

 family Distomidae. I cannot, however, agree to his statement that 

 it " e\idently forms the type of a new genus," as I think if there is 

 anything evident it is that, from the general shape and structure of 

 the ascidiozooid and from the atrial languet and the incubatory 

 pouch. Caiman's form fits into the genus Distiqdia. Moreover, the 

 specimen collected by Dr. Donald is very probably, as Caiman 

 suggested, the same species as the ' Challenger ' and the British Museum 

 specimens, all of which must now tlierefore be known by the name 

 IHstaplia ignota. 



In the present collection there are : — 



1. Three large fragments, measuring respectively 19 cm., 21 cm., 

 and 26 cm. in length, xind from 3 to 6 cm. in diameter, from " Cape 

 Adare, beginning of January, 24 fathoms." 



2. One smaller specimen from " Cape Adare, ICtli December, 

 1899, on surface, 28-9° Fahr." 



3. Many irregularly shaped and more or less spreading masses 

 from "Cape Adare, 2nd January, 1900, 20-24 fathoms, 29° Fahr." 

 The colonies in this bottle are in very bad condition, and were 

 probably all dead and more or less decomposed when collected. 

 There are a number of Amphipoda and Pycnogonida with the 

 Ascidians in the bottle which seem to be in fair condition, so 

 probably it is not the method of preservation that is at fault. 

 The average size of colony is 7 X 4 x 1 cm. Some of the 

 snudler lumps (fig. 7) are more rounded, and are no doubt the 

 youngest colonies present, others (fig. 8) become irregularly lobed 

 and spreading, and finally the largest grow out into long cylindrical 

 nuisses (fig. 9). Some of these are attached by the greater part of 

 one surface to small stones and fragments of sea-weeds, and so, no 

 doubt, lay on the sea-bottom ; but it is easy to understand how 

 they might become detached in storms and be washed up on beaches, 



' Quart. Journ. Mic. Sci., vol. 37, p. 1. 



