St. Andrews Marine Laboratory. 305 



were seen, and the reproductive organs were well develop ed 

 The species then disappeared till November, when it occurrh- 

 in considerable numbers, though none were large. Througut 

 out December it appeared sparingly in the surface-net, b. 

 of somewhat larger size than in the previous month ; while m 

 the midwater-net it was in profusion, the larger forms being 

 about % inch, the smaller less than \ inch. The reproductive 

 organs were fairly developed. This species and Pleuro- 

 brachia occurred in three out of four hauls in the bottom-net. 

 Circe thus forms one of the features of the pelagic fauna 

 during the winter months. 



Forbes found the species only in the Zetlandic seas in 

 1845. It is, however, abundant off the east coast of Scot- 

 land. L. Agassiz, again, mentions that he procured the 

 American form only in July. Forbes points out the differ- 

 ence of his species from Brandt's in regard to the eyes, 

 which are absent 5 but A. Agassiz observes that what Forbes 

 took for ocelli in Brandt's figure are only sections of the 

 chymiferous tubes. 



Scyphomedusce. 



Minute ephyraj about - 3 V inch in diameter appeared in the 

 bottom-nets towards the latter third of February. Swarms 

 again occurred in March in the same region. A wealth of 

 Medusoid life is found close to the bottom at this season. In 

 May considerable numbers of young Aurelice, ranging from 

 i to ^ inch in diameter, were captured. As the month ad- 

 vanced they increased in size, and the contrast was still 

 greater when placed side by side with the minute forms pro- 

 cured in March. Young Aureliad and Cyanea> are often 

 beached on the sands in May. In July (1888) the adults 

 were comparatively rare, a condition unusual in ordinary 

 seasons. Thus only a young example ^ an inch across was 

 found in the midwater-net at the beginning of the month and 

 .a few larger in the same net on the 19th. As a rule the 

 immense numbers of these forms prove troublesome in the 

 trawl- and other nets both from their stinging-powers 

 (Cyanea) and their weight. 



In regard to Cyanea a single example § inch across the 

 disk was procured in June, and only once were a few speci- 

 mens 7 or 8 inches in diameter stranded on the sands (June). 

 In former years not only did this form and Aurelia abound 

 at the surface of the bay in July, but far out at sea. It 

 would seem that warm sunny weather is connected with the 

 presence of these and other marine forms at the surface. It 



