284. R. T. GUNTHER. 
brium. The mouth probably breaks through at the date of 
the setting free of the young Medusz. 
II. Generat CoNcLUSIONS REGARDING SYSTEMATIC 
PosITION. 
It is perhaps idle to speculate upon the phylogenetic position 
of Limnocnida, considering that we are in absolute ignorance 
regarding its mode of development from the egg, or of its life- 
history, but it is expedient for purposes of reference that all 
such newly-discovered organisms should be given a place in 
the system, as natural as the state of knowledge will permit. 
At the same time any attempt at constructing new groups, or 
at arranging old ones, to contain a species about which we 
know as little as of Limnocnida, is to be deprecated on the 
ground that such a course might add fresh burdens to an 
already overladen nomenclature. 
According to the preceding account the two most important 
characters known in Limnocnida are, firstly, that the gonads 
are developed on the walls of the manubrium; and, secondly, 
that the sense-organs situated on the margin of the umbrella 
have an endodermal axis. The only known Meduse which 
possess these two characters in combination are the Narco- 
medusz. On the other hand, Limnocnida possesses hollow 
tentacles, while those of the Narcomeduse are solid, though 
occasionally partly hollow in the adult, and the sense organs 
of Limnocnida possess no structure corresponding to the 
otoliths of the Narcomeduse. 
I regret that my acquaintance with the Narcomeduse does 
not justify me in expressing an opinion as to whether the 
association of Limnocnida with them is a natural one or 
not; but, as Limnocnida has undoubtedly reached the 
same grade of development in respect to two of the most 
important features of the group, it is convenient to find 
a provisional home for Limnocnida in connection with 
the Narcomeduse, and to wait until we know more of 
