528 ME. H. PARQUHAR ON SOME 



decided whether wha,t I have observed in regard to the distribution 

 of the Actinians in the neighbourhood of "Wellington obtains 

 throughout New Zealand. If it be so, the explanation may 

 possibly be found in the mode of reproduction of the several 

 species. In some species the young are retained in the body of 

 the parent till metamorphosis has taken place. In others it may 

 be that some of the young are developed within the parent, 

 while others are liberated when they are free-swimming, ciliated 

 embryos. And in other species the young may all be liberated 

 in the form of free-swimming embryos, when they are widely 

 dispersed by the currents, and thus these last are never found 

 in great abundance at any one particular station. 



There appear to be two distinct littoral marine faunas in 

 New Zealand — a northern and a southern. Mr. H. B. Kirk, 

 who, as Inspector of Native Schools, often travels around our 

 coasts from the North Cape to Stewart Island, informs me that 

 the assemblage of marine animals to the north of East Cape 

 presents a striking difference to that on our southern shores — the 

 Actinian faunas being especially distinct. 



The new species Balcampactis mirahilis is an exceedingly inter- 

 esting form, since by its strange combination of characters it 

 forms a link between the two families Sagartidce and Malcampidcs, 

 which have hitherto been widely separated by systematists. 



I desire to express my thanks to Professor Hutton and 

 Mr. H. B. Kirk for their kind assistance. 



Edwardsia elegaks, n. sp. (PI. 36. figs. 1, 2.) 

 Body long and vermiform, very variable, usually clavate, 

 divided into physa, scapus, and eapitulum. Physa spherical, 

 small, smooth, and delicate, completely retractile, without a 

 terminal pore, but furnished with minute suckers. Scapus in 

 three distinct parts — the lower third is covered with a rough 

 epidermis, then follows a part, occupying nearly two-thirds of 

 the scapus, clothed with very thin, smooth epidermis, succeeded 

 by a short length without epidermis, smooth, delicate and barrel- 

 shaped when expanded. Body-wall transversely wrinkled when 

 contracted, traversed by eight shallow, indistinct, longitudinal 

 grooves, except on the lower rough part, where they cannot be 

 seen. Capitulum short, smooth, and delicate. Not only the disc 

 and capitulum but also the naked part of the scapus, and the 

 part below this clothed with smooth epidermis, are retractile. 



