2936 Radiala. 



of the chalk-bill close by, I fell in with two fine specimens of the brown or dark cho- 

 colate variety of this species, with the orange edge to the foot, feeding on the large 

 brown Agaric which is common there. Can locality, as well as food, influence their 

 colour? — W. Thomson, Jun. ; 6, Foxley Road, Kennington, August 26, 1850. 



Name and Affinities of the New Ophiocoma. — From the circumstance of the 

 shields on the upper surface of the disk being more numerous, better marked, and 

 more conspicuous than in the case of any other species of Ophiocoma, — judging from 

 the woodcuts in the work already referred to, — and also of their being all of a round 

 or circular form, the present species, on the supposition that it is really distinct, might 

 perhaps be termed Ophiocoma parmularia. Parmularius means one armed with, or, 

 protected by, a parmula. The parmula was a little buckler worn by a certain class of 

 gladiators (Suetonius in Domitiani vitae cap. lOmo.) ; the distinguishing character of 

 which was a round or completely circular form, The present specimen was found 

 adhering to a stone entangled among the roots of a coral-looking congeries of sub- 

 stances, which were fished up in the locality mentioned, at a depth of water of 

 about five fathoms. This species of Ophiocoma is very closely allied to the 

 Ophiocoma bellis, or daisy brittle star (Forbes's ' British Starfishes.' p. 53). From 

 this latter, however, it differs in the following particulars : the rays are connected to 

 the disk by a process altogether dissimilar, as will be seen by the drawing ; and the 

 disk itself is destitute of the cordiform depression, or indentation, so strongly marked 

 in Ophiocoma bellis at the origin of each of the rays. There are, likewise, prominent 

 distinctions in the arrangements of the granules, and in the form of the shields, or 

 scales, on the upper portion of the disk. In Ophiocoma bellis, the granules form a 

 distinct and conglomerated band all round the edge. They, moreover, occur in large 

 and more detached patches on other parts of the surface. The scales, or shields, are 

 less numerous and less uniform, not a few of them being of an angular and lengthened 

 shape. In the present species, there are many of the shields which are encircled only 

 by one line of granules, and which have exactly the appearance of an oval brooch, 

 where the stone or jewel is set round by a single row of pearls. These shields 

 are, also, found close to the edge of the disk, there being no band in this case, 

 as there is in Ophiocoma bellis. — James Smith; Manse of Monquhitter, Aberdeen- 

 shire, September 16, 1850. 



[The note was intended to form part of the article on the New British Ophiocoma 

 (App. ex.), but that sheet had already gone to press : the proposed name is, however, 

 inserted. — E. 2V.]. 



Note on the occurrence of the Medusa Stella at Lowestoft. — I have lately obtained 

 from the harbour at Lowestoft (especially during the early part of the month of 

 August) several specimens of a beautiful Medusa, which is figured and described 

 under the name of Medusa Stella, in Sir. J. G. Dalyell's interesting work on the 

 ' Bare and Bemarkable Animals of Scotland,' vol. i. p. 106; to which I must refer 

 such of the readers of the 'Zoologist' as may not be already acquainted with this 

 Medusa. My present object being simply to note a few particulars which may be 

 worthy of record, on account of their not being noticed in detail in Sir J. G. Dalyell's 



