THE SIPHONOPHOEA. 



351 



species was not taken in any of the surface hauls. Chun (1887) has ah-eady recorded 

 the adult from various depths from the surface to 1200 metres. And according to his 

 observations the larval " primary " nectophores apparently occur on the surface only rarely. 

 But the fact that in the Bay of Biscay they were most numerous between 75 fathoms 

 and the surface shows that there, at least, they were members of the epiplankton. 

 Nor do any of the present records demonstrate its occurrence much below 150 fathoms, 

 between which depth and 250 fathoms a single example was taken in the closing-net. 



VoGTiA, Kolliker, 1853. 



VOGTIA PENTACANTHA, Kolliker. 



Vogtia pentacantha, Kolliker, 1853 a, p. 31, Tab. 8; Kefersteia und Elilers, 1861, p. 23, Taf. 5. 



figs. 12-15 ; Chun, 1897 b, p. 35, Taf. 1. figs. 11-14. 

 Hippopodius pentacanthus, Glaus, 1863, p. 551, Taf. 47. figs. 23-25; K. C. Schneider, 1898, p. 84. 



Occurrence : 350 to fathoms. 36 I. A colony with 6 nectophores, but with only 

 the basal remnants of the stem intact. 



The chief difference between this species and V. spinosa, Keferstein and Ehlers 

 {=V. kolUkeri, Haeckel), is that in the former the spine-like gelatinous processes 

 characteristic of the genus are restricted to the angles or ridges of the nectophores, 

 whereas in the latter they occur closely crowded over the flat lateral surfaces as well. 

 The evidence afforded by the specimens recorded by Chun from the Plankton expedition, 

 and especially actual comparison between the present example and the large series of 

 typical spinosa in the ' Albatross ' Eastern Pacific collection, and with the few necto- 

 phores described below as probably belonging to that species, points to the validity 

 of this difference as a specific distinction. Purthermore, the shaj^e of the older 

 nectophores in the two species is dfferent, those of spinosa being flatter and more regular 

 than they are in pentacantha. We must, however, admit that to determine the con- 

 stancy of these characters will require the examination of a considerable series of 

 V . pentacantha. And until this is done, the question Avhether /J<?H/«ert«^/!rt and s/j«Hosa 

 are distinct, or merely represent two phases of one species, must remain without a final 

 answer. The attachment of the nectophores in two alternating rows follows the same 

 plan as in the better-known genus Hippopodius, with which the Vogtia was confused by 

 Gegenbaur (1860) and Claus (1863). Unfortunately, only the basal end of the stem, 

 with a very few small buds, is still intact. Therefore no description of the appendages is 

 possible. 



? Vogtia spinosa, Keferstein and Ehlers. 



Vogtia spinosa, Keferstein und Ehlers, 1861, p. 24, pi. 5. fig. IG ; Chun, 1897 b, p. 103. 



yogtia mUkeri, Haecliel, 1888, p. 182, pi. 29. figs. 9-14. 



Occurrences : 200 to fathoms. 36(7. 4 detached nectophores. 



250 to 150 fathoms. 35/). 8 „ „ 



These nectophores are all somewhat distorted, and several of them badly flattened and 

 torn. All of them, however, show more or less clearly the spinous processes ou the Hat 



