84S Miscellaneous. 



that of other fishes. Whether it seizes upon the fishes taken by the 

 star-fish for its own nourishment must be determined by further 

 investigations. 



The author's observations estabUsh : — 



1 . That Oxybeles gracilis is not a true parasite. 



2. That it passes the greater part of its hfe in the stomach of 

 Culcita discoidea, as is also indicated by the unusually pale colour of 

 the fish. 



3. That, however, it can come out, either to seek nourishment or 

 for the purpose of reproduction. 



4. That it then returns to the mouth along the furrow on the 

 ventral surface of the arms. 



5. That it is very sensitive to light. 



6. That it feeds upon other animals. 



In fresh water the animals live for about half an hour. The pig- 

 ment upon the peritoneum exhibits under the microscope the most 

 beautiful stellate forms. The fish possesses a swimming-bladder. — 

 Natuurkimdig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indie, Deel xv. p. 163; 

 WiegrnanrCs Ai'chiv, 18G0, p. 319. 



On S07ne Naked-eyed Medusae of Charleston Harbour. 

 By Mr. M'Cready. 



In a memoir on the " G3'mnophthalmata of Charleston Harbour," 

 published in the first volume of the ' Transactions of the Elliot 

 Society,' the author describes many new forms of Hydroida, pro- 

 poses a new systematic arrangement of those animals, and makes 

 some interesting observations regarding their anatomy and develop- 

 ment. 



The author states that in several species he has succeeded in 

 detecting an unmistakeable ganglion behind each tentacle and mar- 

 ginal corpuscle. 



Cunina octonaria, like Mginopsis, to which it is nearly allied, is 

 developed by simple metamorphosis, — not, however, swimming freely 

 in the water, but in the cavity of the bell of another Medusa (Turri- 

 topsis nutricula). Not only does the latter furnish a shelter and 

 dwelling-place for the larvjc during their development ; it also serves 

 as their nurse, by allowing the parasites, whilst adhering by their 

 tentacles, to draw their nourishment out of its mouth by means of a 

 large proboscis. In point of fact, the relation between them is of so 

 unprecedented a nature, that the author may well be excused for 

 having at first taken the impudent parasite for the gemmiparous 

 progeny of the sheltering Medusa. The youngest state of this 

 parasitic Medusa observed by the author formed a ciliated body of 

 clavate form, adhering to the cavity of the bell by means of the 

 slender stalk in which it terminated. Its first change consists in the 

 emission, from the thick end, of two slender flexible tentacles, and 

 in the formation of a central cavity by liquefaction. At this stage 

 of development, the author frequently observed gemmation taking 

 place at the thicker end, sometimes frequently repeated. Sub- 



