^'l89a!''] PKOCEEDINGtt OK THK MATiONAL MUSKUM. 1J)3 



form, whicli voii Koch luiiiied (Jepkyra (lohruii, Haddou ('89) has in- 

 vestigated, and finds that '' it Ix^longs to the series of tyi)ieal Saj^ar- 

 tiaiis." Daiiielssen ("JO) u^ain has described a form Korenia viarf/ar- 

 i^rtcea, probably more coriectly assi;:^nabh5 to Ifertwig's genus Amphi- 

 anthus, concerning which lie states that '^ the gastral lihuncnts are richly 

 beset with neinatocysts," a remark which snggests the ])resence of 

 acontia. He, however, linds that there are twenty-tbnr j»(;rfect mesen- 

 teries, though acknoAvledging a[)()Ssibilityoferrorin this determination. 

 Mention mnst be made also of yavvUVa Actinauyc ncjcilis {^S3), a super- 

 ficial examination of which leads one to the conclusion that it is a 

 ClKUidractinian, tliongh 1 have not been able as yet to dete<;t the occur- 

 rence of acontia, the single specinuMi in my i)ossession not being 

 satisfactoiily i)reserved, and (;onse(inently not suitable for accurate 

 observation. A study of sections, which, untbrtunately, I have not yet 

 been al>le to make, may reveal these structures. Concerning this form I 

 believe, too, that it is idciiticahvith Strpha iH(ctis ahi/sHcola lir^t(\{i^{',ri])(id 

 by Moseley ('77). It is undoubtedly a ^tcpkanavt'iH^ and the superticial 

 resemblance to Moseley's form is so close that, relying on the external 

 characters, which are all in reality that we have to base a Judgment 

 upon, one would have little hesitation in pronouncing in favor of the 

 specific identity of the two forms. Finally, C/iitonactin marloni Iladdon 

 ('89) resembles i^U'phanacti.s in the elongation of the transverse('?) 

 axis, and the clas]»ing nature of the base, and m, Jlde JIaddon, a Sa- 

 gartian belonging to the sul)family Chondractiniuje. 



In view of this evi(len<;e, which it must be acknowledged is by no 

 means conclusive, I think it is advisable? to abolish the family Am- 

 phianthida', and include ^Sfcp/iaiKictls and Amphianthnu under the sub- 

 family Choiulractinina',. Furthermore, it seems not ini}m)bable that it 

 may be necessary to disregard the clasjjing habit, and the consequent 

 elongation of the body to the transverse axis as generic characters, 

 since, as in the case of Chitonactis marioni these features may be as- 

 sumed by species belonging to genera not characterized by them. 



Independently, however, of these features de]»ending on the liabitat, 

 the genus Steplianacti.s is sulfu-iently well nuirked out from other Chon- 

 dractinidie to warrant its retention. 



30. Stephanactis hyalonematis, sp. iiov. 



Plate XXXII, Fig. 103. 



No. 720. Htation 2S07. Lat. 0< 24' S; loug. SIP 06' W^. Depth, 812 fathoms. One 

 specimep. 



The pjngle specimen I was ]|i)^>illfng to mutilate any more than was 



pbsojutely necpssifiy, and conseipiejitly am unable to give an accurate 



descriptip?) pf its structure;- nor can 1 pyen deterniine from it whether 



pr not acontia are present. 



l^roc. N. M. O.i— 13 



