THE MIDLAND NATURALIST, 



Come forth into the light of things, 

 Let Nature be your teacher." 



KEPOET ON THE PENNATULIDA 



COLLECTED IN THE OBAN DREDGING EXCURSION 



OF THE BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, AUGUST, 1881. 



BY A. MILNES MARSHALL, M.A., D.SC, PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY 

 IN OWENS COLLEGE, AND W. P. MARSHALL, M.I.C.E. 



The specimens of PennatuUda or Sea-pens obtained in the Oban 

 dredging expedition, and placed in our hands for description, include 

 examples of three species, Pcnnatula jjJiosii^iorea, Virgularia mirabilis, 

 and Funicidhia qiiadnnuiuUiris, belonging to three distinct genera and 

 even families. The following table, abridged from the scheme of 

 classification proposed by Kolliker in his Report on the Peunatulida 



Desceiption of the Figuees in Plate I. 



Figures 1 and 2 are reduced from full-sized drawings made l)y tracinR the 

 outline direct from the original objects. Figs. 4-9 are drawn direct witli the 

 camera from the objects themselves. Fig. 3 is constructed from separate camera 

 drawings of the dorsal, ventral, and lateral surfaces ; the four main canals, 

 indicated by the dotted lines, are filled in from one of Knlliker's figures {op. cit. 

 PI. xvii., Fig. 151). The magnifying power is indicated in diameters for each figure. 

 Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 are from the largest living specimen. 

 Alphabetical List of References. 



a. Kachis. 

 h. Stalk. 



c. Stem. 



d. Polype. 



e. Zooid. 



/. Tentacle. 



(j. Calyx. 



i. Spicule. 



I. Cceuenchym, or fleshy body-substanec. 



u. Main canals of rachis. 



Fig. 1.— Lateral view (right side) of the largest specimen, 39 ins. long, dredged 

 living, shown in its supposed natural position with the stalk planted in the 

 mud of the sea bottom, x 1-Gth. 



Fig. 2.— Similar view of perfect bare stem, 24ins. long x l-3rd. 



Fig. 3. — Transvei-se section of rachis at its widest part, showing zooids on 

 dorsal surface, and polypes gradually increasing in size from the doi'sal towards 

 the ventral surface, leaving the actual ventral surface bare; also the quadrangular 

 stem, and the four main canals of the coenenchym, x 'Ah. 



Fig. 4. — Portion of dorsal surface of largest living specimen at the widest 

 part of the rachis, about Cins. from top, showing arrangement of zooids and 

 polypes, X 2. 



Fig. .5.^Ventral surface of the same portion, as in Fig. 4, x 2. 



Fig. G. — Portion of dorsal surface of younger specimen (20 ins. long) at widest 

 part of rachis, showing arrangement of zooids and jiolypes, x 3. 



Fig. 7.— Head of a polype, showing calcareous spicules in the calyx and its 

 processes, x 10. 



Fig. 8 — .One of the calcareous spicules from the calyx, x CO. 



Fig. 9. — Transverse section of calcareous spicule at the middle of its length 



X 400. 



