on the Polyzoa. 101 



Costululees,' p. 3) ; and again, " En e'tablissant la famille des 

 Gostulidae, j'ai fait voir la faiblesse du caractere principal 

 adopte par Th. Hincks, pour sa classification des Bryozoaires 

 Cheilostomiens, consistant simplement dans la forme de 

 l'orifice zooecial *, et j'ai e'tabli la plus grande valeur carac- 

 teVistique de la frontale (paroi). Cette appreciation m'oblige 

 a rejeter tous les genres que l'auteur anglais a cr^e d'aprks la 

 manieie d'etre de l'orifice, sans tenir compte de la disposition 

 de cette paroi, et a bouleverser completeinent les classifications 

 admises jusqu'a, ce jour. Je suis done amene a, definir de 

 nouveaux groupements, pour l'etablissement desquels je 

 m'appuierai: l e , sur la paroi frontale; 2°, sur la disposition 

 desorigelles ; 3 e , sur la forme de l'orifice; 4 e , sur l'anatomie." 

 (' Mission Sc. du Cap Horn,' p. 45.) 



It is not my present purpose to examine at any length Dr. 

 Jullien's scheme of a general classification of the Polyzoaf ; 

 but I venture to suggest that the time has not arrived for an 

 efficient revision of our system and that the work of recon- 

 struction (so far as it may be needed) should not be com- 

 menced until the foundations on which it is to rest have been 

 thoroughly tested. 



The dogma of the " front-wall," which Dr. Jullien would 

 make the corner stone of his new structure, has not yet been 

 subjected to a searching examination. In his system it is 

 associated with the theory of the " origelles," which must 

 certainly be regarded, to say the least, as still sub judi'ce, and 

 upon which the researches of Dr. Pergens have already 

 thrown considerable doubt. It would be impossible to accept 

 the proposed system, whatever its merits may be, in the present 

 stage of inquiry ; and with all respect for Dr. Jullien I must 

 hold that it is undesirable in the interest of science to sweep 

 away existing classifications and unsettle established nomen- 

 clature and remove old landmarks until the foundations of the 

 new order that is to follow have been well and securely laid. 



(not Johnston, 1838), 1880. Cet ancien genre de Johnston a ete entiere- 

 ment bouleverse par Th. Hincks, et ne devrait plus e.v.ister aujoard'hui. 

 . . . rnais comme je cornprends ce genre de la meme facon que Hincks, 

 je renvoie a sa definition." The genus is placed in the family Smittidas, 

 J. Jullien, the diagnosis of which is founded altogether on the structure 

 of the zooecial orifice. 



* This statement may be somewhat misleading. It is no doubt true 

 that in my classification the structure (rather than the mere "form") of 

 the zooecial oritice is a primary character ; but in a large proportion of 

 cases it is associated with other significant characters, and where it has 

 been employed alone it has been from the absence (as it seemed at the 

 time) of other available diagnostics. 



t See ' Mission Sc. du Cap Horn,' p. 7. 



