On Local Colour- varieties o/'Scjpliomedasfe. 409 



Agaristidae. 



Eusemia Watersii^ sp. n. 



Most nearly allied to E. Belangerii from Java and E. zea 

 from Madagascar. Primaries dark cliocolate-brovvn, crossed 

 beyond the middle by an oblique primrose-yellow band, which 

 does not reach the margins ; a white dot on the fringe at 

 apex : secondaries black, with chocolate-brown reflections ; a 

 large rounded carmine patch occupying the whole central 

 area, from the subcostal vein to the abdominal margin ; its 

 extreme edge towards costa ochraceous ; abdominal fringe 

 also ochreous at the base ; fringe of outer margin white at 

 apex : head and collar black, spotted with primrose-yellow ; 

 thorax black ; abdomen ochreous, crossed by black lines, which 

 emit a dorsal tapering stripe on each segment, last two seg- 

 ments almost wholly black ; legs, base of wings below, and 

 under surface of body bright ochreous. Expanse of wings 

 5Q millim. 



Betsileo country {T. Waters). Type Brit. Mus. 



LI. — Local Colour-varieties of Scyphomedusje : a new Species 

 produced in Forty Years. By R. VON Lendenpeld, Ph.D. 



The colours of the large Medusae are as variable as they are 

 brilliant, and we generally find the same species in a long 

 series of finely-toned colour- varieties. 



I have observed two species of large Medusaj [Cyanea 

 annaskala^ K. v. L., and Cramhessa mosaica, H.), whicli, 

 although they vary very much in their colour, do not appear 

 in a series of connecting varieties, but rather as '' beginning 

 species," inasmuch as the colour in these varieties is quite 

 constant in the different-coloured Medusee met with in diffe- 

 rent localities. 



I have found these two species in Port Phillip, south coast, 

 and in Port Jackson, east coast. Although these two places 

 are not far apart, still the water is very much warmer in the 

 latter harbour than in the former. This is owing to the 

 nature of the ocean-currents. A warm equatorial current 

 which passes along the eastern coast of Australia supplies 

 Port Jackson with warmer and, probably, Salter water than 

 that with which Port Phillip is filled. A cold polar current 

 flows past the entrance to Port Phillip. 



