BIGELOW: THE CTENOPHORES. 



387 



the locality and date, so it is impossible to be certain. Beroe aus- 

 tral is has already been referred by Moser to the synonymy of forskalii. 



Beroe forskalii Milne Edwards. 



Beroe forskalii Milne Edwards, '41, p. 207, pi. 5 (partim). 

 For further synonymy, see Chun ('80) and Moser (:09). 



Station 4654, 300-0 fathoms, 1 specimen 8 mm. long. 



" 4719 300-0 " 1 " 29 mm. " 



Fiji, Suva Harbor, Dec. 13, 1897, 2 specimens, 22 and 25 mm. long. 

 Fragments probably belonging to this species were taken at 

 Station 4638, 300-0 fathoms, 1 specimen. 



" 4651 " " 2 



" 4657 " " 2 



" 4665 " " 1 



4721 " " 1 



It is noteworthy that not a single Beroe was taken in a surface haul. 



The smallest specimen is at about the same stage as the 6 mm. larva 

 figured by Moser (:09, pi. 2, fig. 5); the ribs now extend over the 

 aboral i of the body, and a few of the branches of the meridional canals 

 anastomose. The gastric canals are still simple. 



The specimen from Station 4719 is larger than the Fiji specimens, 

 though younger, a discrepancy explained by different methods of 

 preservation. The former in formalin is just the same size as it was in 

 life, the latter, fixed with osmic acid and now in alcohol, are obviously 

 contracted. The younger specimen already shows the flattening, 

 somewhat pointed apex, and proportionately broad mouth char- 

 acteristic of the adult forskalii, but the ribs, all of which are the same 

 length, are only about half as long as the body. The meridional canals 

 send out numerous blmd branches, but only a few of them unite, so we 

 can hardly speak of a network as yet. The gastric canals are simple 

 through their aboral third, but oral to this they give rise to a few 

 branches which connect with the meridional system through occa- 

 sional transverse stolons. The specimens show an early stage in the 

 formation of the sexual products, the margins of the meridional 

 canals being slightly and irregularly lobed, even slightly beyond the 

 extremities of the ribs. Thus, though development has progressed 

 somewhat, the main change from the larva described above is in size 

 and in the length of the ribs. 



The Fiji specimens are much further advanced in growth. In 



