54 



May 24, 1836. 

 William Ogilby, Esq., in the Chair. 



A letter addressed to the Secretary by J. B. Harvey, Esq., Corr. 

 Memb. Z. S., and dated Teigmnouth, May 18, 1836, w'as read. It 

 referred to a collection of various marine productions of the south 

 coast of Devonsliire, which accompanied it, and -vvhich were pre- 

 sented to the Society by the 'vvTiter. These were exhibited. 



Among them was a specimen of Capros Aper, La Cep., captured 

 in Mr. Harvey's neighbourhood : and with the view of Lllustrating 

 the colours of this species, he fom^arded with it a painting made from 

 the fish while yet recent. This also was exhibited. 



"VVith the collection were several specimens of a Tubularia, nearly 

 related to Tuh. indivisa, of which Mr. Han'ey furnished a detailed 

 description, accompanied by numerous figures. The description wai 

 read, and the figures ■vvere exhibited. 



Mr. HarA'ey tirst obser\'ed the Tubularia in ąuestion at the steam 

 bridge on the river Dart, where it grows in clusters between the 

 links of the chain over \vhich this floating bridge is propelled. The 

 specimens obtained by him in this locality vvere necessarily injured 

 in the hurried manner of taking them off during the rapid motion 

 of the bridge ; but as they were immediately placed in sea-water 

 most of them have survived the force used in separating them, and 

 he has thus been enabled to observe them for a week or ten days, 

 during which he has carefuUy studiedtheir form and structure. His 

 drawings are intended to illustrate many of the different positions 

 of the polype in various conditions as to gro\vth, expansion, &c. 



"Tlus animal," Mr. Harvey remarks, "is evidently a Tubularia. 

 It is something likę Tub. indivisa figured by Ellis, Plate XVI. no. 2. 

 fig. c, but differs in several particulars. The tube of Ellis's Tubu- 

 laria is jointed ; the head has a lateral groove or opening ; and the 

 centrai projection (which is an elongation of the membrane covering 

 the body) is much larger and higher, and is not surmounted by a 

 row of slight long feelers. This Tubularia (for which, as a distinc- 

 tion, I submit the term T\tb. gracilis,) has the tube hollow through- 

 out and single ; the body has no lateral groove ; the centrai process 

 has a rov? of fine long feelers near its termination, and placed round 

 the orifice : their oifice is to direct the food to the mouth. On the 

 circumference of the cup is a row of very long flexible feelers, having 

 much freedom of motion, and betvveen each two of them is a smaller 

 red feeler ; from the circumference to the origin of the centrai pro- 

 cess are two or three confused rows of alternate white and red short 

 papillse, giving the animal much the appearance of a floAver. 



