298 MR. H. N. MOSELEY ON DEEP-SEA ACTINIARIA 



the rounded masses is a very stout and prominent muscular ring, pulled out into an 

 oval form, and somewliat contracted laterally; and within this is a smoother space 

 rounded from side to side, and with its inner margin bounding an oval opening, 

 immediately Avithin which lie the tentacles. This region of the body is coloured bright 

 pink, with a few radial streaks of slightly darker colour, and contrasts with the muscular 

 ridge and lobes external to it, which are of a pale pinkish yellow. The muscular ridge 

 is especially pale in colour. This ridge and the coloured space being immediately 

 internal to it, represent the vertical wall of the body of normal Actinias. The tentacles 

 are small, about 60 in number, disposed in two rows, and of a very pale pink colour. 

 The disk is dark pink in colour and of an oval form. The mouth very irregularly oval. 



The greatest length of the largest specimen obtained was 34 millims. Another 

 specimen measured 23 millims. 



Actinia abyssicola was obtained on two occasions from deep water, viz. : — On May 6th, 

 1873, in lat. 40° 17' N., long. 66° 48' W, from 1350 fathoms ; and also on May 29th, 

 1873, to the south-west of Bermuda, from 1075 fathoms. 



The two specimens procured on May 6th came up alive, but never expanded them- 

 selves more than as seen in the figure. 



Very similar Actinias were dredged frequently from deep water attached to rod-like 

 bodies, such as Alcyonarian stems. I find in my notes, e. g., that one came up from 

 1400 fathoms, attached to a Syalonema-s^icvlQ (lat. 12° 8' S., long. 145° 10' E.), near 

 Haine Island, N.E. coast of Australia, August 29, 1874. I identified the species, how- 

 ever, only in the two above-cited instances. 



Actinia gelatinosa, n. sp. (Plate XLV. fig. 6.) 

 The body of the single specimen of the animal obtained was gelatinous and transparent. 

 The base was closed tightly around the stem of a dead Gorgonoid. The opposite 

 margins of the basal surface were approximated beneath this stem, and closely united 

 and coalesced along a linear suture. The basal surface thus formed a tightly fitting 

 sheath, in which the supporting Gorgonoid stem was held. The sheath and stem reached 

 only to a point opposite the mouth of the animal, the base having been drawn towards 

 the stem in forming its attachment, so that part of its margin here, instead of its central 

 point, lay beneath the mouth. Nearly one half of the mass of the body thus lay in front 

 of the end of the stem of attachment. This free half was movable on the remainder of 

 the body, as if on a hinge (fig. 6, a) ; and as the specimen was turned about, it fell over 

 so as to shut over or enclasp the other firmly attached portion of the body, and thus 

 close the cavity of the animal as with a lid. The tentacles appeared to be numerous, 

 and disposed around the margin of the disk ; but owing to their extreme softness were 

 too much injured to allow of their being counted. The body of the living animal was of 

 a transparent bluish colour. The tentacles were of a light brick-red colour, the mesen- 

 teries of a dark madder tint, being coloured with what I have elsewhere termed 

 " polyperythrin "*. 



* Consult H. N. Moseley, " On the Colouring-matters of various Animals," &c, Quart. Journ. of Miorosc. Science 

 (new ser., January 1877), vol. xvii. p. 2. 



