CRYPTOLARIA CONFERTA. I7 



In their slipper-shaped form the female gonangia come very near to those 

 of H. Beanii. The orifice, however, in the latter is more exserted than in 

 the present species. 



Halecium macrocephalum, m the suppression of its hydrophores, and in the 

 great size of its hydranths, comes very near to IT. sessile Nordman. It is, 

 however, a. much stouter form than H. sessile, which, moreover, judging from 

 the figures and descriptions of that species, has a monosiphonic instead of a 

 fascicled stem. 



As a rule, the hydranths are relatively large in the various species of 

 Halecium, and this flict, taken in connection with the absence of a true 

 hydrotheca, is not without significance. 



Tribe SERTULARIN^. 



Family GRAMMARID^. 



Genus CKYPTOLARIA Busk, 



Cryptolaria conferta. 

 PI XII. Figs. 6-10. 



TropJwsome. — Hydrocaulus attaining a height of about two inches, much 

 and irregularly or subdichotomously branched, fascicled except towards the 

 terminations of the branches. Hydrothecae adnate for somewhat more than 

 half their height, and in the fascicled portion of their stem deeply immersed, 

 then becoming free and arching outwards; adnate portion slightly narrowino* 

 downwards , free portion cylindrical, with circular and entire orifice behind 

 which the walls are marked by several annular striae. 



Gonosome ? 



Dredged off Cojima, Cuba, from a depth of 450 fathoms. 



Cryptolaria conferta forms crowded entangled tufts. The proximal portions 

 are strongly fascicled, but towards the extremities the fascicled condition dis- 

 appears. Here the whole form of the hydrothecre is frequently visible, but 

 farther down the greater part of every hydrotheca is immersed and con- 

 cealed in the fascicled portion. 



The hydrotheca where fully seen in the non-fascicled portion of the hy- 

 droid is found to have a distinct floor perforated by an offset from the coeno- 



