154 J. E. DuERDEN — Jamaican Actiniaria : 



and then rapidly extended, several opaque, yellowish-green embryos being 

 extruded each time. * 



The species is found rather plentifully around the coral reefs of most of the 

 Port Royal Cays, and very large examples were obtained around Maiden Cay, 

 and also at Port Antonio. It was met with at New Providence, Bahamas, by 

 Professor SPMurrich, while Duchassaing and Michelotti collected their types at 

 St. Thomas ; so that it probably occurs on the coral reefs throughout the Antillean 

 area. 



The polyps occur in water of from two to three fathoms, firmly attached to 

 coral rock, and usually in company with living coral. Associations of several 

 scores may occur, giving a carpet-like appearance to the sea-floor. 



The body-wall and disc are very delicate ; after a little rough handling in 

 collecting tlie mesenterial filaments readily protrude, especially through the disc, 

 and an abundance of mucus is also given out. Such a protrusion of the mesen- 

 terial filaments through an}- part of the body-wall is rarely met with in Actiniae, 

 but is a usual occurrence among the corals. 



The asexual reproduction by intracalycinal fission is the same as in Ricordia 

 florida, except that one does not so often meet with individuals showing the 

 multi-oral condition, fission and separation evidently taking place more readily. 

 A very elongated example was procured having a small second mouth at one end, 

 round which the disc tentacles had become closely aggregated, but the column- 

 wall showed no sign of division. 



The multiple arrangement presented by the tentaculate areas in Actinotryx 

 bryoides, described by Professor Haddon from Torres Straits, is in marked 

 contrast with their irregular disposition in the West Indian species, as also the 

 seven or eight smaller peripheral tentacles alternating between two larger. The 

 " one or two short knob-like tentacles on most of the crenulations of the parapet " 

 are perhaps comparable with the horizontal outgrowths on some of the marginal 

 tentacles in the present form. 



Sub-order. — Homodactylin^, n. s.-o. 



Family. — Discosomid^, Klunzinger. 



Discostomince, . . . Verrill, 1869. 

 Discosomidce, . . . (pars), Klunzinger, 1877. 



Discosomidce, . . . Andres, 1883; M'Murrich, 1889, 1893; Kwietniewski, 



1897, 1898; Haddon, 1898. 



Stichodactylinae, in which the column- wall is smooth or pi'ovided with verrucse 

 towards its upper portion. Oral disc usually of large size and lobed. Tentacles 

 numerous, and covering the greater portion of the surface of the disc ; all short 



