380 



Rev. T. , Pks's Contributions towards 



agrees in general character with all the foregoing, and in 

 common with the normal form and S. gothica possesses the 

 tuberosities. But the avicularinm has undergone a very 

 striking modification, and is furnished with an elongate, taper- 

 ing, and somewhat falciform mandible (PI. XVI. fig. 2). 

 Ooecia have not been met with. 



I confess I cannot regard the differences just noted as having 

 any specific value in the face of the striking resemblance in 

 general character and in the more permanent features amongst 

 the various forms. No importance can attach to the presence 

 or absence of the marginal tuberosities, whilst the avicularia 

 are too uncertain in their occurrence and too variable in form 

 to be relied upon alone as diagnostic characters. The appa- 

 rent suppression of the ooecium in S. gothica has no greater 

 claim, I believe, to be accounted a specific distinction. We 

 know that in Lepralia Pallasiana this structure is generally 

 undeveloped, and only occurs in rare instances. 



The various forms just enumerated may be arranged as 

 follows : — 



Steganoporella Rozieri, Audouin. 



1. Normal form. With marginal tuberosities and large 

 bilobate ooecium ; avicularia wanting. 



2. Form gothica. With marginal tuberosities ; destitute 

 of ooecia ; avicularia large, with triangular mandible. 



Loc. Mazatlan (Dr. Philip Carpenter) ; California {own 

 collection). 



3. Form indica. Without tuberosities ; avicularia large, 

 with somewhat elongate, slender, pointed mandible; large 

 bilobate ocecium. 



Loc. India (Miss Jelly). 



4. Form falcifera. With marginal tuberosities ; avicu- 

 laria large, with much elongated, tapering, falciform man- 

 dible ; ooecium (?). 



Loc. Australia (Miss Jelly). 



Steganoporella elo?igata, n. sp. (PI. XVI. fig. 4.) 



Zooecia very much elongated, narrow, subquadrangular, 

 covered in by a coarse, granulated, and punctured lamina, 

 which slopes steeply up from a little below the orifice to the 

 lower lip ; on each side of the sloping portion a small fora- 

 men, usually filled in by a granular covering ; margin strongly 

 beaded ; orifice small, narrow between the lower and upper 

 margins. Avicularia small, scattered over the zoarium in the 

 line of the cells, occupying a distinct area marked off by a 



