'^4 MES. LEONORA J.-WILSMOKE ON SOME 



acontia are also unusual characteristics. Haddon and Knietniewski, indeed, 

 consider sniallness of the acontia a generic character (21). Fhellia hroioni 

 (and in less degree Phellia capitata) is distiagnished also by the thickness o£ 

 its sand-incrustation. 



The known species o? Phellia irom the Pacific — viz., Phellia vermifo7^mis(V7) 

 from Torres kStraits and Phellia sollasi (18 and 20) from Funafuti, Phellia 

 ternatana (16) from Ternati, and amboniensis (21) from Ambon — differ widely 

 from those here described in the three characters named above. Other 

 points of difference are the external shape and the form of the longitudinal 

 retractors, and the mesenteric formula of Phellia sollasi, ternatana, and 

 aiuhoniensis. Haddon^'s collection included two other anemones from Torres 

 Straits, which he had "no doubt were Phellia.'" They were, however, 

 lost before examination, and their external characteristics alone are given. 

 These do not agree with those of Phellia broivni and capitata. Until re- 

 discovered, their position is in reality doubtful, since the external characters 

 of Phellia and Chondradinia are alike, the fact that Phellia bear the gonads 

 on the perfect mesenteries being the point of difference between the two 

 genera. 



An interesting series of stages of development of the ectodermal muscle 

 of the disc is shown in the genus Phellia. In Phellia sollasi and Phellia 

 capitata we find it at its lowest stage. A few fibres, stronger near the 

 capitulum, are all that are present. In Phellia hroicni these fibres are large 

 and branched and present over the whole disc, while in Phellia ternatana 

 anastomosing of the branches has taken place to some extent, and the ecto- 

 dermal muscle is now partly mesogloeal in position. This process is carried 

 still further in Phellia amboniensis. Whole bundles of muscle-fibres are here 

 enclosed by the anastomosing of the mesogloeal branches, which are 3-4 times 

 as wide as the mesogloea itself, but as yet very few of these fibres have sunk 

 into the mesogloea. A step further in the development would give ectodermal 

 muscle of the disc as mesogloeal in position as that of a mesogloeal sphincter 

 which originates from endodermal muscle. 



Although the partial division of the sphincter into two parts seems to be 

 peculiar to Phellia broivni and capitata, the fact that it enlarges at its 

 narrower distal end to fill the whole of the mesogloea has been noticed by 

 other observers, viz. Knietniewski (16) and McGuire (20). May this not 

 be generic ? 



List of References. 



(1) 1848. Reid. — On a new Species of Actiniaria. (Ann. Mag. Nat, Hist., 



ser. 2, vol. i. p. 34.) 



(2) 1855. GossE, P. H. — On Peachia hastata. (Trans. Linn. Soc. xxi.) 



(3) 1859. HoLDSWORTH, E. W. H. — On Burrowing Habits of Peachia 



hastata. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 3, vol. iii. p. 78.) 



