77 



In the last eleven specimens standing underneath 88 M. in the table we find a constant 

 increase in size. Cat. 53 stands more apart, as the appendages are so much larger than in any 

 other specimen that we are sure, it must be an exceedingly old one, although only three siphons 

 with tentilla III and I\' are left, but certainly some cormidia have fallen off. 



The Catalogue-numbers 24 D., 88 K., 163 C, 88 N., 88 P., 215 A., 223, 175 F. all 

 belong to Crystallomia and are probably of the same age. The respective sizes of these 

 specimens are: 



Cat. Length nectosome. Length siphosome. 



24 D 4 mm 2 mm. 



88 K 3 mm 2 mm. 



163 C 3 mm 2 mm. 



88 N 4 mm. 







mm. 



88 P 4 mm 4 mm. 



215 A 6 mm 4 mm. 



223 2 mm 2 mm. 



175 F 3 mm 1,5 mm. 



An absolute uniformity in the shape of all these is of course impossible, as in some the 

 nectosome is contracted, in others extended, or sometimes many appendages have been lost 

 through the influence of the preserving fluids. 



The eldest cormidia may have fallen off; this seems likely, when we compare these 

 specimens with the complete Cat. 88 F., the more so as we saw the development of 9 o-onostyles 



near the third, fourth and fifth siphon. As they fail in the other 8 specimens (Cat. 24 D. 175F.) 



we rather incline to believe that the cormidia with reproductive organs have fallen oft". We 

 will return to the same subject later on. 



Cat. S3 (PI- XIII, fig. 103) is a huge specimen, measuring 27, cm. in length, — measured 

 from the top of the pneumatophore to the apex of the bract which is situated in the same 

 direction as the longitudinal axis of the nectosome — its breadth measures also 27, cm. measured 

 from one of the palpons of the longitudinal siphosome to the most distant bract. 



All the appendages have considerably increased in size. 



The pneumatophore is well-shaped, elongate, slightly coloured at its top. The nectophores 

 have all become detached: a few buds of nectophores are left near the top. Immediatelv 

 underneath these we find a thickened part of the nectosome. This is a portion of the contracted 

 stem, there where mature nectophores were situated. We noticed this thickenino- of the necto- 

 some in many other specimens. Between the first appendages of the siphosome and the above- 

 mentioned part traces of detached nectojahores are still to be seen. 



The siphosome has an exceedingly broad aspect owing to the immense quantities of bracts, 

 which are attached on the stem. All the appendages are entirely covered by them; to make our 

 sketch of Cat. 53 more distinct, we detached those which were on one side of the siphosome. 

 The remaining ones are all sketched in their natural position. 



A pecularity in the structure of many bracts in Cat. 53 is the appearance of small 

 islands in the cartilaginous substance, each composed of some 20 or more polyhedral cefls 

 (PI. XIII, fig. 104). Some of them show a nucleus only, others are filled up with small o-ranules. 



