534 FAUNA NOTES FOR 1897. 



Malpas, at intervals during the summer and autumn, in quest of 

 them, but never succeeded in finding a single specimen. The 

 first adult Aurelia was seen in the harbour on the 27th of April, 

 and it was found to measure 65 m.m. in diameter. On the 11th 

 of the next month, about a dozen more specimens were seen in 

 the harbour, and after that no more were seen for the year. 



On the 13th of June, several Bolina hydatina, and Beroe 

 ovatus, were ladled from the sea inside the Eastern breakwater, 

 but neither of these were noticed in the tow-net gatherings 

 made during that time. 



Near the same place, on the 23rd of June, a single specimen 

 of Thaumentias pilosella was secured, this being the only 

 example of that species seen for the year. 



While collecting during a spring- tide under the same 

 breakwater, on the 30th of the same month, I saw numbers of 

 Tira octona. The majority of the specimens were small, the 

 largest measuring 5 m.m. in height. 



The attractive little gonozooid of Cladonemma radiatum 

 has been exceptionally abundant during the summer and 

 autumn of this year. Its favourite habitat appears to be in 

 small pools of water amid decaying Zostera and other rubbish, 

 at the edge of low water. In a similar spot on the 14th of 

 August, six ambulatory gonozooids of Clavatella prolifera were 

 secured. These specimens were detected the next morning 

 crawling up the sides of the jar in which the water from a 

 small muddy pool had been placed ; the six long arms formed 

 the organs for locomotion, the mouth in every instance being 

 close to the glass. Their mode of progression is very slow and 

 deliberate, reminding one very much of a very diminutive 

 brittle-star. According to some authors the arms of this species 

 vary in number. Olaparede found that most of his specimens 

 possessed eight arms, and he. has met with specimens in which 

 there were two ocelli at the base of each arm. All my 

 specimens had six arms, with a single pigment spot at the base 

 of each. By far the most interesting feature about this 

 gonozooid is that it can increase very rapidly by budding, these 

 buds being formed on the inter-radial spaces. Mr. Hicks* 

 states that " Q-ermination is confined to the spring" in this 



