66 Miscellaneous. 



Mrs. Robertson of Braendam, near Stirling, sent a notice (accom- 

 panied by fresh specimens) of the discovery of Buxbaumia aphylla 

 in large quantity on Ben Ledi. Fresh specimens of the Buxbaumia 

 were likewise exhibited from Mr. Ogilvie of Dundee, having been 

 gathered by him on the Sidlaw Hills, along with Beeomyces roseus. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



NOTES ON MEDUSA AND POLYPES. 



H.M.S. Rattlesnake, Cape York, October 1849. 

 My dear Sir, — You will probably be interested in knowing what I 

 have been about for the last year. I have examined (in most cases 

 very carefully) species of the following genera of Acalephse and Po- 

 lypes : Physophorid^, Velella, Porpita, Physalia (a good many 

 new points), Stephanomia, Athorybia, Agulina, Rhizophtjra ; Di- 

 PHYD^, Rosacea, Cuboides (two species), Abyla (three species), 

 Enneagonea ; Medusidje, Sinope (?), Xanthea, Geryonia, Cytceis, 

 Cephea, Oceania, *Bugainvillea, Tima, Aglaura (?), Pelagia, * Will- 

 iia ; Polypes, Tubularia, besides some genera altogether new. The 

 two I have marked thus * will interest you, as you describe them in 

 your " Naked-eyed Medusee" Bugainvillea, I may mention, has its 

 generative organ in the thickness of its outer membrane of the stomach ; 

 Willsia developes bodies mostly resembling those in Sai'sia prolifera 

 and gemmifera, at the angle formed by the two first divisions of each 

 of the four radial canals. The structure of the Tubularia is also very 

 interesting. I was for a long time astonished at what appeared to be 

 its very wide geographical distribution, until I discovered one day 

 that it was attached in large masses to the ship's bottom ! 



I have found much that was new to me in all respects, but nothing 

 that contradicted in any important matter the results at which I ar- 

 rived in the paper on the Medusce. On the other hand, I can speak 

 much more confidently on some points advanced only with hesitation 

 before. I believe that I shall be able to show you on our return evi- 

 dence amply sufficient to prove, — 1 st, that the Hydroid and Sertularian 

 Polypes, the Hydrostatic and ordinary Acalephse, and the Helianthoid 

 Polypes form one large family, which, from their invariable and pecu- 

 liar " thread-cell," I propose to call the " Nematophora ;" 2nd, that 

 this great family consists further of two subdivisions, the number of 

 which as affixed, if we consider one subdivision, and strictly analo- 

 gous and parallel if we consider the two subdivisions as thus : — 



Nematophora. 

 Hydroidse. Actinidse. 



Corynidae. Zoanthidse. 



Sertularidse. Sarcoidea. 



Physophoridae. Pennatuiidse. 



Diphydse. Madreporidae. 



Medusidae. Beroidae. 



I believe that I have already evidence enough on the ** Hydroid" 



