Browne — Fauna and Flora of Valencia Harbour, Ireland. 727 



MeclTisae belonging to the Polycannicla3 have rarely been taken 

 in. British, seas. 



Saphenia mirabilis (Wright). 



Saphenia miraiilis, Haeckel, p. 192; Browne, 1896, P. Z. S. 

 p. 493, pi. XYii. 



In 1895, tTTO specimens taken at the end of May ; one 4 mm. 

 in diameter, the other 9 mm. 



In 1896, from Inly to September, only a few specimens 

 taken. The smallest 3 mm. in length and width ; the largest 

 10 mm. in width and 8 mm. in length. 



In 1897, none seen. 



In 1898, six specimens taken in July. The smallest 

 7 nun. in width; the largest 13 mm. in width and 9 mm. 

 in length. 



Some of the specimens had generative cells along the whole 

 length of the peduncle. 



One specimen with ten marginal sense-organs instead of 

 the normal eight. Two specimens with marginal bulbs con- 

 taining black pigment in the centre ; usually the bulbs are 

 colourless. 



In thi'ee hauls with the tow-net, taken on August 10th, 

 1896, just outside Yalencia Harbour, I found four specimens of 

 Sa/pJietiia mirabUis and seven specimens of JEutima insignis. 

 These two genera agi-ee in every important detail, with the 

 exception of the number of tentacles. Saphenia has two 

 (opposite) tentacles and JEutima has foior tentacles. Among 

 these specimens some were of the Saphenia type, and some 

 of the JEutima type ; but others showed a difference in the size 

 of the four tentacles. They had two long opposite tentacles 

 and two tentacles" much smaller, varying in length in the 

 different individuals. I have two series of specimens taken 

 at Plymouth, and another series taken at Yalencia, in 1898, 

 which show the same thing. In some of the specimens 

 one pair of tentacles is just developing, whilst the opposite 

 pair are very long. This leads me to believe that JEutima 

 msignis is really the adult form (showing the maximum 

 growth) of Saphenia mirabilis, though the latter may have 

 ripe gonads. 



This species is not uncommon in the British seas, and usually 

 occurs in the summer months. 



