HALICLYSTUS AURICULA. 



63 



Haliclystus auricula H. j. Claek. 



Haliclystus auricula II. J. Clark. Journ. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., p. 559. 1863. 

 Lucernaria auricula Mull. Zool. Dan., PL 152. 

 Lucernaria auricula Mont. Lin. Trans., IX. PI. 7, Fig. 5. 

 Lucernaria auricula Johnst. Br. Zooph., p. 246, Second Edition. 

 Lucernaria auricula Sars. Bidr. Soe. dyr., PI. 4, Fig. 1-13. 

 Lucernaria octoradiata Lamk. An. s. Vert., II. p. 414. 1816. 

 Lucernaria auricula Edw. & Haime. Hist. d. Coralli, IH. p. 458. 

 Lucernaria auricula Agass. Cont. Nat. Hist. U. S., IV. p. 176. 1862. 

 Haliclystus auricula Fack. List of Animals. 1863. 



Without attempting a critical revision of the Lucernariae, which has 

 become necessary in consequence of the somewhat contradictory state- 

 ments of Sars, Edwards, Allman, Gosse, Keferstein, and Clark, and for 

 which the materials in the Museum do not afford sufficient data, I have 

 adopted the generic names of Clark, as it is plain, from what was al- 

 ready suggested by M. Edwards, that the Lucernaridse do not belong 

 to a single genus, but that several genera can very justly be distin- 

 guished upon the single genus of Lucernaria of previous authors. 



The figures here introduced are of our common Lucernaria (Figs. 

 88, 89), and will give a tolerable idea of the varied attitudes they 

 assume. This species is quite common, found at- Fig. go. 



tached to eel-grass. For a farther knowledge of this 

 group of Acalephs, I would refer to the original 

 papers quoted above. 



The young of our Lucernaria (Fig. 90) shows how 

 much still remains to be done respecting the changes 

 which it undergoes. In a small Lucernaria, of one 



Fig. 88. Haliclystus auricula, seen from the actinal pole. 



Fig. 89. Different attitudes of Lucernaria, of Fig. 88, attached to sea-weed, contracted, ex- 

 panded, or with the disk thrown back, and the actinostome projecting like a proboscis. These 

 figures are of natural size. 



Fig. 90. Young Lucernaria, magnified, about one tenth of an inch in height, a, anchors still 

 retaining the shape of the tentacles, t. 



