154 K. MITSUKURI : STUDIES ON 



with one stem, but soon divided into a largo number of vesicles. 

 No Cuvierian organ. 



The present species and Mulleria formosa Selenka coincide 

 remarkably in the shape and chai-acter of the calcareous deposits 

 and in the disposition of the dorsal papilla\ In fact, with the 

 exception of the presence of anal teeth in the latter species, they 

 are so entirely alike that one can not help entertaining a suspi- 

 cion that the two species are identical. If they are really sepa- 

 rate, such close resemblance must be considered a singular case 

 of convergence. It is also a noteworthy fact that while the pres- 

 ent species has been found in various parts of the world at 

 various times from 1833 to 1901, Miilleria formosa has been found 

 only twice in two widely separate localities, Mauritius (Haacke 

 '80) and Macassar (Selenka '67), and in spite of many recent ex- 

 plorations not a single specimen has been reported either from 

 intermediate spots or from any other localities. The original 

 specimen described by Selenka was strongly macerated. There 

 are in my possession some dried specimens, which seem not un- 

 likely referable to M. formosa, and yet I feel constrained to place 

 them in the present species, especially after obtaining fresh specimens 

 from the same localities and ascertaining them to be of the same 

 species as those cured for market, which were once examined by 

 Prof. Selenka and were placed without any hesitation in Mulleria 

 formosa. Taking all things into consideration, Mulleria formosa 

 needs re-examination, and I should be not at all surprised if such 

 a species should turn out to be non-existent. 



The articles cured for market from the species ai'e called 

 " Gajimaru " or " Plum-blossom trepang " (f$ ?E #), the latter 

 name obviously referring to the clusters of papilloe. The value is 

 40—50 Yen per 100 Kin. 



