PE—THNTACLES OF A SIPHONOPHORE. 
Amone the specimens to which Mr. Hodgson, on his return from the Antarctic, 
directed our attention, was an attenuated object which was the subject of a good 
deal of speculation. Almost simultaneously with the discovery of its hydrozoic 
nature, I received a copy of an interesting article by Dr. John Rennie, of Aberdeen,* 
which settled the question. I print Mr. Hodgson’s account of his experiences, as it 
displays most graphically the difficulties of collecting in glacial temperatures. 
Dr. Rennie has been so kind as to examine the specimens, and has favoured me with 
the following note and sketches.—F, J. B. 
THE “ BOOTLACE.” 
On July Ist, 1902, Lieut. M. Barne, R.N., returning from an excursion sounding 
through holes in the ice of McMurdo Bay, brought me a specimen of what he 
termed a “ Nemertine,’ from its superficial resemblance to some more bulky and 
undoubted nemertines that were constantly being captured. This particular specimen 
was taken on the sounding-wire some 80 fathoms from the bottom, the total 
depth of water being 163 fathoms. It was only liberated with considerable difticulty, 
and arrived on board in an imperfect condition, and, of course, frozen hard. It was 
about as stout as an ordinary bootlace, somewhat ragged, and of a light brown colour. 
I judged it to be very nearly twenty feet in leneth. It so happened that there was 
no preservative material available at the time, and as sea-water could not be 
‘obtained under half an hour, the heat of the ward-room caused the specimen to 
disintegrate rapidly, and it was lost. 
On August Ist, 1902, a stationary trap was hauled at No. 5 hole in 178 fathoms, 
at a distance of a mile and a half from the ship. On the swabs attached thereto 
the fibres 
were two specimens of this organism. They lay as tangled masses among 
of the swabs, and appeared to be about the same size, or larger, than the original 
specimen, but stouter and evenly cylindrical throughout. Owing to the hole being 
choked with ice crystals, no water could be obtained ; all specimens had to be brought 
to the ship “dry.” The temperature at this time was — 50° Fahr., and under these 
conditions the specimens were lost. 
On December Ist, 1902, at No. 4 hole, the total depth of water being 41 fathoms, 
a tow-net had been let down to a depth of 8 fathoms. On the line immediately above 
the tow-net one of these organisms was entangled. As the weather was warm, little 
* Scotia Collections.—On the Tentacles of an Antarctic Siphonophore. By John Rennie, D.Sc., University 
of Aberdeen. 
2D, 
