



Misce II a neous. 221 



also be opposed to M. de Mereschkowsky's conception. In all known 

 Acinetina which, in the embryonic or adult state, may bear vibratile 

 appendages, these appendages always belong to the category of simple 

 vibratile cilia. The vibratile appendages of Mesodinium pulex, on 

 the contrary, are true cirri — that is to say, composite cilia much 

 thicker at the base than at the apical extremity, and consequently 

 corresponding to a stage of development superior to that represented 

 by the vibratile cilia of the Acinetina. This fact, of itself, suffices 

 to dispel all notions of relationship between the latter and Meso- 

 dinium pulex. 



1 think I have now sufficiently demonstrated that the new group 

 Suctociliata was founded only upon insufficient observations badly 

 interpreted. I will, however, repeat what I have already stated 

 (with details in its support) in a more extended memoir* : — the an- 

 cestral affinities of the Acinetina oucrht to be sought rather in the 



direction of the Heliozoa than in that of the Ciliata. — Comptes Rendu*, 

 December 20, 1882, p. 1381. 



On the MoJluscan Fauna of the Varangerfjord. 

 By ITXC. G. Pouchet and J. de Guekxe. 



During the expedition of the corvette ' Coligny," last year, some 

 dredgings were made in various parts of the Varangerfjord and in 

 the tributary fjords on its south side. The greatest depth was 445 

 metres. The Mollusca are represented by more than 1500 speci- 

 mens, as follows : — 



Genera. Species. 



Lamellibranchiata 24 38 



Solenoconcha 2 3 



Gasteropoda (exclusive of Nudibranchs) .... 21) ">;> 



Total 56 94 



Certain forms, such as Cardium cUiatum, Chrysodomus Turtom, 

 &c, regarded by Sars as very rare in these localities, were collected 

 alive. Astarte sulcata, Mactra subtruacata, Nemra ohesa, Panapasa 

 norvegica, Dentalium entails, and Bissoa proanma have to be added 

 to the list of Mollusca of Eastern Finmark given by G. 0. Sars in 

 1878 (Moll. Eegion. Arct. Xorveg.). These species extend south- 

 wards into the boreal and Celtic regions, and some even into the 

 Mediterranean. All are rare in the Varangerfjord. 



The character of the fauna is decidedly arctic. More than a 

 third of the species obtained are circumpolar. Sixty-six are known 

 in glacial deposits. To obtain them living at their maximum of 

 present development, we have to go to higher latitudes. Some are 

 also met with in the cold waters of the great depths of the ocean, 

 or in regions much further south than Finmark, on the east coast 

 of North America (Labrador, Newfoundland, Massachusetts). 



Of the ninety-four species, sixt} -three are noted from Greenland, 

 fifty-five from Spitzbergen, forty-two from Novaia Zemlia and the 

 Kara Sea, and forty-one from Eehring's Straits. 



At the surface, the temperatures iu which these Mollusca live are 



* Arch, de Zool. exper. ix. p. 362 (1881). 



