23 Mr. J. Ball on Odontites rubra, with notice of a new species. 
Dear Sir, Tavern Street, Ipswich, Suffolk. 
We have in our Wet Salt-water Dock a species of Hydroid 
Polype which [ have not met with in any publication that I have 
had an opportunity of referring to. It differs materially from the 
common species of our freshwater ponds in its body being less 
capable of extension, and in its having when mature from six- 
teen to twenty-one extensile tentacles around its disc, in the cen- 
tre of which, and rising considerably above the surface, when 
protruded, is a singularly and beautifully organized four-lobed 
mouth: the instant adaptation of its opening to the incurving 
tentacles, and its effective closmg thereon when they are intro- 
duced into the cavity, are operations of the most interesting cha- 
racter. Around the base of the mouth, and equidistant from each 
other, are four oviform orifices, corresponding with the four pro- 
jecting lobes of the mouth and extending to the base of the 
nearest tentacle, giving to the disc somewhat the appearance of 
a flower with a four-cleft corolla. 
The incipient gemmation of this polype is spurlike and acute, 
upon which the young polype is formed: in some instances this 
spur or offshoot terminates in a little bulb, presenting the ap- 
pearance of a simple pistil of a plant having its stigma at the 
extremity and the germen at its base: upon offshoots of this 
latter form we have not at present noticed any young. 
I observed, previous to the death of this little creature, that 
the tentacles became incurved, and, at such times, substances 
floating over the orifice of the disc obtained a rotatory motion as 
if operated upon by cilia. 
Believe me to remain, &c., 
Epwin Giuzs. 
TY.—On Odontites rubra, Pers., and the allied forms, including 
a notice of a new species. By Joun Baur, M.R.L.A. 
Tuts attempt to clear up the confusion which seems to exist as 
to the forms of the group of plants which were known to the 
older botanists under the name of Kuphrasia Odontites, L., is 
subject to great disadvantage, bemg chiefly founded upon the 
examination of dried specimens, from which it is very difficult 
to determine the true form and structure of the corolla and 
anthers, the organs from which the most important specific cha- 
racters are derived. I may observe in the first place, that some 
of the characters used by authors appear to me altogether falla- 
cious ; thus I find the relative length of the floral leaves, and the 
breadth of the segments of the lower lip of the corolla to vary in 
all the forms of this group. I proceed to point out by brief 
diagnostic characters the forms with which I am acquainted. - 
