TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 69 



Mr. Aider had examined the animal alluded to, and found it to be a very large spe- 

 cies of Vorticella, which he had never before seen. The bell-shaped summits of the 

 animal were visible to the naked eye. 



Notices of Eolis, Doris, £$c. By Joshua Alder, F.L.S. 



Mr. Alder of Newcastle read a description of three new species of Mollusca, of 

 the genus Eolis, lately found by Mr. Albany Hancock on the coast of Northumber- 

 land ; and also exhibited drawings by that gentleman of these, as well as of some other 

 new species of Nudibranchia, descriptions of which had appeared in the 'Annals of Na- 

 tural History.' Mr. Alder took the opportunity of stating that Mr. Hancock and he 

 were still pursuing their examination of the British species of this order, and had 

 lately had a further opportunity of confirming the fact of the existence of eyes in the 

 genus Doris, having found a young specimen of the Doris depressa in which the 

 eyes were very distinct. He stated that they had made some examinations with the 

 microscope of the elegant appendage in Melibcea, Tritonia and Eolis, which are 

 usually considered to be branchiae. They found that in Melibwa ornata vibratory 

 cilia existed all over the body, but in a less degree in the supposed branchiae than 

 in other parts, and that an individual deprived of these appendages lived for several 

 days afterward without apparent diminution of activity; thus proving that these 

 were at least not the only means of respiration that the animal possessed. 



Mi\ Moore exhibited the head of a Grayling, showing its pear-shaped iris; also 

 specimens of Argulus foliaceus and other parasites. The specimens of Argulus folia- 

 ceus were from the ponds of the Botanic Garden at Manchester, where they attacked 

 the common carp, but not the gold or silver carp. 



On a Specimen of Macheerium subducens from Port Essington, New Hol- 

 land, belonging to the Collection made by Mr. Gilbert, Mr, Gould's As- 

 sistant By Dr. Richardson. 



This fish, except in the teeth, has a strong external resemblance to the Echiodon 

 Drummondii, lately discovered by William Thompson, Esq. in the Irish seas. Its 

 dorsal and anal, which are well developed, are united to the caudal, but the rays of 

 the latter are more slender, rather shorter and more crowded, so the difference is 

 readily recognized by the eye. The first ray of the dorsal and anal is simple and 

 flexible, all the rest are branched at the tips. The pectorals are small, and there 

 are no ventrals. The body is much compressed, and its resemblance to the blade 

 of a short sword or butcher's knife is the origin of the generic term'*. The teeth, 

 small and subcorneal, stand in a single series on the intermaxillaries and lower jaw. 

 The palate and vomer are toothless. The orifice of the mouth is moderately large ; 

 the maxillary, though sufficiently conspicuous, forms no part of its margin. The 

 pedicles of the intermaxillaries run back over the orbit and permit the upper jaw to 

 be considerably protruded. The lower jaw is articulated far back, the cheek is large 

 and scaly, the opercular pieces smooth and very distinct, and the six branchiostegous 

 rays are very obvious and by no means short. The 'gill-openings are moderately 

 large. There are no barbels attached to the integument covering the os hyoides, 

 which is the character by which Mackoerium is most readily distinguished as the type 

 of a generic or sub-generic group, from Ophidium. Another character may be found 

 in the scales, which, though small, are regularly tiled, and not imbedded in the skin 

 in a scattered manner. The lateral line terminates before the anus, as in the Blen- 

 nies, to which this fish seems to bear considerable affinity. Mr. Ball has said the same 

 thing of Echiodon, though he afterwards ranged it with Ophidium, with which it is in 

 fact still more closely allied. It would be perhaps better to bring the Blennies and 

 Ophidia together. Agassiz has already separated the Blennies from the Gobies, and 

 placed them in the Gadoid family. The Anguilliform.es, or Apodes would evidently be 

 more natural were the Ophidia removed also to take their place near the Gadi. The 

 single character of the want of ventrals seems to be insufficient to keep them in sepa- 



* Th. fxaxaipa, gladius. 



