) 

 120 D1SC0PH0R.E. Part III. 



this is never so transparent as in C3'anea arctica. The flowing curtains are the 

 darkest jjart of the whole animal. In Cyanea versicolor the whole disk is of a 

 bluish milky white, with a purplish tint spread over the chymiferous cavity. The 

 genital pouches are rose coloi-, the flowing curtains light brown, and the tentacles 

 jDink. There are, also, some differences in the proportions of the parts: the flowing 

 curtains are by far the largest in Cyanea arctica, and the tentacles most numerous, 

 and the marginal indentations less deep. In Cyanea fulva the lobes of the margin 

 are more rounded, and also deeper, and in Cyanea versicolor rather truncate. There 

 is, however, a great difference in the aspect of the margin, according to its state 

 of contraction. When fully expanded, the ocular lobes are slightly prominent, and 

 the tentacular lobes very broad ; in a state of contraction, however, the tentacular 

 lobes are so folded in, that the ocular lobes become most prominent, and the whole 

 outline of the disk has somewhat the form of an octagonal bastion, the prominent 

 angles of which are formed by the ocular lobes. Another difference occurs in 

 the extent of the concentric and radiating folds ; the areas of the concentric folds 

 are comparatively broadest, and the radiating folds shortest, in C. fulva; the radi- 

 ating folds are largest and narrowest, and the concentric folds narrowest, in Cya- 

 nea versicolor; and in Cyanea arctica they occupy an intermediate position. The 

 flowing curtains are not only widest in Cyanea arctica, but they lose almost 

 entii'ely the appearance of arms; while in Cyanea versicolor they are smallest, 

 compai'atively, and retain, in a measure, the character of four wide, pendant arms. 

 In Cyanea fulva they are remarkably thin and deciduous. Similar differences seem 

 to distinguish the species noticed by other writers. Cyanea Postelsii, which has 

 been considered, by Dr. Gould, as identical with our Cyanea arctica, differs, how- 

 ever, from it by the deeper indentations of the margin of the disk, and by its 

 color, which seems uniformly bright cinnamon, the tentacles only being paler, and 

 the margin of the disk light blue. Of the two European species, the Cyanea capil- 

 lata, which is also the more northern, resembles more nearly our C. arctica, while 

 the C. Lamarkii comes nearer to our C. versicolor, at least in the hue of its disk; 

 but its tentacles, its actinostome, and the genital pouches seem to share the color 

 of the umbrella, judging from the figures of Dalyell, while in our species they 

 are widely different. The figures published by Gaede of the true Cyanea capillata 

 give it a more brownish color than that of our Cyanea arctica; but it will require 

 more accurate figures and descriptions of these animals than have been published 

 thus far, before their specific characters can be distinctly brought out. I am 

 unable to ascertain whether Cyanea Postelsii of Brandt truly differs from Cyanea 

 ferruginea of Eschscholtz. 



