248 



EDWARD T. BROWNE. 



same generation as the ephyrse taken in the spring of that 

 year. 



The umbrella of these specimens varied from 1^ to 2^ 

 inches in diameter. The tentaculocysts of 383 specimens 

 were examined, and the number possessed by each specimen 

 is recorded in Table III. 



Table III. 



The Numerical Variations of the Tentaculocysts of 

 383 Adult Aurelia collected in 1894. 



Percentage. 

 0-5 

 4-7 

 77-2 

 8-6 

 4-1 

 2-6 

 1-8 



There are 87 specimens (22'8 per cent.) with a variation in 

 the number of tentaculocysts, 20 having less than the normal 

 number and 67 showing an excess. 



On comparing the abnormal number of tentaculocysts of 

 the adults with those of the ephyra stage, it will be seen from 

 the percentages that there is only a slight difference. The 

 ephyrse have 22*6 per cent, abnormal in 1893, and 20'9 per 

 cent, in 1894; the adults show 22*8 per cent. It is clear from 

 these figures that the abnormal ephyrse do not appear to suffer 

 from their abnormalitj'^, but are able to reach in safety the 

 adult stage. The figures also show a slight increase of ab- 

 normal forms in the adult stage. This may be due to an 

 insufficient number of adult specimens ; the small number is 

 due to their scarcity at Plymouth. 



On comparing the 359 ephyrae taken in 1893 and the 383 

 adult specimens taken in 1894, it will be seen that the per- 



