Anatomy of Gorgonid^e. 145 



less due to the fact that the polyp in E. tourncforti can not 

 retract so far as the others, hence the gullet is thrown into 

 a less number of folds and the cavity is less obscured bv the 

 convolutions. 



The gullet partakes of the general curve of the calicle and 

 its contents, as illustrated in fig. 7, PL VIII, which represents 

 a longitudinal section of a calicle and polyp. The section is 

 supposed to bisect the enlarged outer lobe of the calicle. 



The mesenteries, owing to the peculiar bend in the calicle 

 referred to, are of unequal lengths, those on the ventral side 

 of the polyp being longer than those on the dorsal side. An 

 examination of PL VIII, fig. 7, will make this plain. The 

 left hand side of the figure is the ventral side and it will 

 readily be seen that the mesenteries which follow the convex- 

 ity of the curve of the gullet will be longer than those on the 

 other side. The polyps of this species therefore depart more 

 from a true radial symmetry and approach more nearly a 

 true bilateral symmetry than any others studied. 



Indeed, I know of no other polyp among the class Actino- 

 zoa that, in an adult state, has its radial symmetry so greatly 

 impaired. The bend in the gullet is so great that a section 

 may cut through some of the gullet convolutions and also 

 make a cross section of the entire gullet of the sam.e polyp 

 thus making a partially longitudinal and partially transverse 

 section of the same polyp. This fact must be borne in mind 

 in order to interpret a section such as is figured in PL VIII, 

 fig. 6. The section passes through the upper polyp in the 

 manner just described. 



The mesenteries are also somewhat out of their usual 

 position so that in the same section we have longitudinal 

 and transverse sections of mesenteries as is shown in the two 

 right hand polyps in the section figured, PL VIII, fig. 6. In 

 the same figure the section cuts across the tentacles of a 

 polyp at 1, which do not seem to be connected with the rest 

 of the section. This is their proper position, however, the 

 calicle to which they belong having its base below the level of 

 the section. 



