VIRGULAKIA MIRAMLIS. GO 



body undergoes, aud which led Clapiirede to name his species L. pivteus. 

 When at rest the animal is a somewhat cylindrical sac, about 0-04 

 inch in length, with two pairs of jointed antenuoe at its anterior end in 

 front of the mouth ; two small pairs of legs a short way behind the 

 mouth ; a caudal-fork armed with setsB ; and a straight alimentary 

 canal with a distinct anus. 



The Eutomostracon we found, as described above, in Pennatula 

 clearly belongs to the same genus. Unfortunately we have as yet come 

 across only a single specimen, and as that one is in a series of transverse 

 sections it is impossible to make out all its characters. It, however, 

 does not agree with eitlier of the species already described, and is 

 probably an additional species of this curious genus, aud one which we 

 name provisionally Lamippe PcnnatuUe. 



Concerning the relations of Lamippe to the polype it inhabits, we 

 were in doubt when describing Pennatula whether to regard it as a 

 parasite or as an animal swallowed as food : it would appear now, 

 from the additional evidence that has since come into our hands, that 

 it is a true parasite. "We have already mentioned that the eggs^ de- 

 velop up to a certain stage within the polype, and Joliet has shown 

 that they hatch in this situation and then escape as free swimming 

 NaupUi. We have found numerous empty egg-shells, but have seen 

 no free NaitpUi. 



[/. The Reproductive Organs. — The eggs in Virgularia occupy a very 

 different position to that they hold in FunicuUna or Pennatula. They 

 are confined to the lower part of the rachis, and only occur in that 

 part of it in which the polypes are either absent or very immature. 

 In this lower part of the rachis, a transverse section across which is 

 represented in Fig. 6, the canal system of the mesoderm becomes very 

 greatly developed. In addition to the four main canals («) there are 

 large lateral chambers lined by endoderm, and from this endoderm at 

 certain places the ova {t) are formed, and when ripe fall into the 

 chambers, in which they lie free. 



The actual development of the ova themselves is much the same as 

 in the other two genera. Each ovum is a single endoderm cell which 

 becomes bigger at the expense of its neighbours, rises up from the 

 surface to which it remains attached by a stalk or peduncle, developes 

 a firm protective capsule round itself, acquires a large germinal vesicle 

 with included germinal spot — the nucleus and nucleolus respectively 

 of the original eudodermal cell — aud having attained its full size 

 becomes detached from the stalk and lies free in the chamber of the 

 rachis. How the eggs get out ultimately we have been unable to 

 detemiiue with certainty ; most probably their exit is effected through 

 the mouths of the polypes higher up the rachis, whose body-cavities are 

 in connection with the large chambers of the lower or ovarian eud of 

 the rachis. 



The essential difference between Virgularia on the one hand, and 

 FunicuUna and Pennatula on the other, so far as their reproductive 

 organs are concerned, lies in the fact that while in the latter two 



