busk's thaumantias. 385 



above tlie middle, with the summit rounded, ^ inch 

 in height. (Fig. 11). Margin with about 21 short 

 tentacles, springing from globose, yellowish bulbs, 

 each of which carries a red ocellus within. (Fig. 

 14). The tentacles are usually contracted, and bent 

 upwards. (Fig. 12). 



Sub-umbrella nearly as large as the umbrella ; from 

 its centre depends an ample membranous peduncle^ 

 somewhat vase-shaped, but seen vertically to be four- 

 lobed, each lobe pyriform in transverse section, the 

 small ends meeting around a minute square central 

 space. (Fig. 13). These lobes are marked with de- 

 licate veins, as if the structure were irregularly cellular, 

 and are tinged with yellow. The greater part of the 

 peduncle is occupied by the ovaries, four in number, 

 altogether somewhat pear-shaped, the larger end below, 

 and filling the peduncle ; they are of an opaque yellow, 

 and each contains a nucleus of dark red. The whole 

 descends into a flexible many-lob ed lip, the extremities 

 of which are puckered up, and slightly fimbriated. 



This minute species was energetic in swimming, shoot- 

 ing several times its own length at each contraction. 



I have found also on two or three occasions a small 

 Thaumantias, with the following characters. (See 

 Plate XXIL, Figs. 5 to 11.) 



Umbrella when young, globose when older, hemis- 

 pheric, or shallow- c amp anulate, "like a Chinese hat," 

 (Forbes) from -^th to -^th inch in diameter, trans- 

 parent, colourless. The margin fringed with about 

 thirty-two tentacles ; these are very slender, and exten- 

 sile, occasionally reaching to four or five times the 

 L 2 



