Polyzoa of the Adriatic. 269 



are ranged under the Adeonella of Busk, a somewhat miscel- 

 laneous g-roup which, as Waters has already suggested^ must 

 be dismembered. But it has no real affinity with the species 

 which are related to A deoaa, and which would properly belong- 

 to the genus Adeonella if that genus is to be maintained. It 

 seems to me to be a Schizoporella, the characters of which are 

 somewhat masked by the curious bridge-like structure which 

 crosses the cell immediately below the orifice. This mate- 

 rially affects the appearance of the species, but does not seem 

 to have any special significance. It is due to the union of 

 the risings on which the two lateral avicularia are placed, a 

 little below the orifice ; tliey grow together and form an 

 arch across the front of the elevated peristome, leaving an 

 opening below, through which the primary orifice and the 

 sinus are visible. 



The same structure is met with in ScMzoporella hlturrita, 

 mihi, on which Busk has founded his genus Gephyrophora^ 

 with the specific name folymorplia ('Challenger,' Heport). 

 In this case the " bridge," it would seem, is almost as often 

 absent as present. The specimens on wdiich my description 

 was founded were entirely destitute of it, and I have met with 

 others in the same condition. The structure does not appear 

 to be a very essential one. Apart from this peculiarity, S. 

 hitiirrita is a very typical member of the genus to vviiich 1 

 refer it, and it certainly seems to be too trivial to stand as the 

 sole distinctive character of a generic group. The orifice of 

 S. Pullasii is arched above, with a straight lower margin and 

 a central sinus of moderate size. Waters (who identifies this 

 species with i\iQ Eschar a poly stoinella of Heuss) ranks it under 

 Adeonella^ an opinion in which I cannot concur. 



Range. Bay of Naples. 



ScMzoporella atrofasca^ Bask. (PI. X. figs. 4, 5.) 

 This species is identified by Waters (' Polyzoa of Bay of 

 Naples') with Lepralia cucallata, Busk (Brit. Mus. Cat.). 

 But if the description and figure of the latter are to be trusted 

 the two must be distinct. It is altogether destitute of the 

 large and very marked sinus, with the strong denticular pro- 

 jections at the entrance, which are so characteristic of the 

 present form. In point of fact the latter is Lepralia atro- 

 fusca, Busk, described in the Quart, Journal of Microscopical 

 Science, vol. iv. 1856, p. 178, but without figure. The 

 description though brief is sufficiently characteristic, and 

 leaves no doubt as to the form intended. The variety with 

 the thickened and elevated peristome in front (PI. X. fig. 5), 

 which may be distinguished as form labiosa, has smaller 

 Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. xvii. 19 



