/S/)fr//a^».f o/Ceplialodiscus nigrescens. 551 



The description of tliis species lias not yet been published, 

 but a i'e|iort u[)on it is in preparation. 



In May of the present year, M'hen examining some speci- 

 mens of Cephalodisciis dredged on the Swedish Antarctic 

 Expedition and received by the British Mnseuni (Natural 

 History) from Stockholm in excbange for other specimens, 

 Mr. R. Kirkpatrick alluded to the fact that among the 

 Pterobrancliia in his cbarge were three bottles of a kind of 

 Ceplialudiscus, apparently part of the collection of material 

 obtained on the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' Expedition in the 

 Antarctic Ocean in the years 1839-1843. The specimens 

 were shown to Dr. S. F. Harmer, the Keeper of the Depart- 

 ment of Zoology in the Museum, who recognized them as 

 similar to those of Cephalodiscus niyrescens dredged by the 

 ' Discovery' in the Antarctic Ocean, and submitted them to 

 me for examination and report. I am pleaded to be able to 

 confirm Dr. Harmer's identification of the specimens as 

 C nigrescens, and I take this opportunity of thanking him 

 for allowing me to publish the present note. 



For convenience of reference the specimens may be 

 distinguished as A, B, and C. 



Specimen A (see figure, p. 552) is a dark brown piece of 

 colony with four branches. Greatest measurements 68 by 

 39 mm. ; longest branch 42 mm. long and 11 mm. wide; 

 second longest branch 21 mm. long and 10 mm, wide ; 

 the other two branches are short. The piece is in good 

 condition, with the projecting peristomial tubes and lips 

 intact. The zooids are numerous, blackish, in fair state of 

 preservation, each with three or four buds. 4"he size of tlie 

 body and the proportions of the buccal shield are the 

 same as those recorded in the description of C. niyj-escens in 

 the 'Discovery' Expedition Report (7, p. 28). 



Specimen B is of a paler colour than A : it is evidenth' a 

 young colony, consisting of but one branch ; the attached 

 base contains included stones and shells ; size 33 mm. by 

 22 mm. ; preservation good; zooids plentiful. 



Specimen C consists of two pieces of colony, very pale in 

 colour, in poor condition, with no branches remaining and 

 with the peristomial tubes broken off. .Both pieces are 

 massive in character. The larger measures 64- by 41 mm. ; 

 stumps of three branches are recognizable; sandy particles 

 are embedded in the basal end of it. The smaller piece 

 measures 58 by 40 mm. Both pieces appear to have been 



