112 Rev. A. M. Norman on a new Echinoderm from Ireland. 



. necnon inter saxa ad basin ascensus "las Vueltas" dicti (" Brena 

 alta") inter Villam S™ Crucem et "La Banda" Ins. Palmse. 



Compared witli its very near ally H. aspersa, Miill.^ which is, 

 in fact, exactly intermediate between itself and H. Mazzullii,3an, 

 H. spumosa has a notably smaller and more depressed spire, 

 only equalling one-third instead of nearly one-half of the whole 

 height ; the last volution has its transverse diameter much 

 greater in proportion to its height, rendering the shell trans- 

 versely oblong rather than globose, and the aperture more pro- 

 duced obliquely downwards anteriorly, or oval instead of rounded 

 or circular. Lastly, the suture descends gradually instead of 

 being abruptly dellexed anteriorly. But however difficult to 

 distinguish from H. aspersa, ]\Iiill., by the shell alone, I am 

 inclined to consider it a really distinct species, because, in addi- 

 tion to these characters of the shell, and the remote and isolated 

 habitat, the animal has the singular property of throwing out, 

 when captured, a quantity of mucous froth or bubbles, so as to 

 become presently entirely enveloped in a mass of foam. 



In further confirmation of this view, it should be noted that 

 the true //. aspersa, Miill., occurs in no other island of the Ca- 

 narian or Madeiran group, though within the last ten or fifteen 

 years it has been introduced by some inconsiderate person into 

 a garden at Funchal. Nor did I meet with it on the opposite 

 coast of Africa at Mogador. 



Lea Rectory, Jan. 15, 18()L 



XV. — On an EcJiiiwderm neio to Science, from Ireland. 

 By the Rev. Alfred Merle Norman, M.A. 



[Plate IX. figs. 1-4.] 



ECHINODERMATA. Earn. Priapulacidse. 



Genus Strephenterus *, n. g. 



Forma cyliudrica, antice truncata, infundibuliforiiiis, sine tenta- 

 culis, postice subito acuminata, tentaculisque ornata. Intestinum 

 longissimurn nmltumque convolutum, maximani corporis partem 

 penetrans, inde rediens per amim hand longe ab ore situm se 

 effundit. 



Echinoderm naked, cylindrical ; mouth funnel shaped, un- 

 provided with appendages ; the posterior extremity ending in a 

 point, and furnished with tentacular appendages. The intestine 

 is very long, and descends in a spiral coil through at least two- 

 thirds of the entire length of the animal ; it is then reflected, 

 and, returning to the fore part of the body, has its anal orifice 

 situated not far from the anterior extremity. 



* (TTpif^iiv, to t(U'ii ; tvrepov, the intestine. 



