... , . EEPORT ON THE POLYZOA. 43 



caiices, Auctt.) are seated on the upper end of slender tubes or pedicels, which are pro- 

 duced into a single or double point on one side at the top ; at its base the pedicel dilates 

 into a thick barrel-shaped cylinder (PI. IX. fig. 7), which is covered by a transparent, 

 ringed, chitinous envelope (PL X. fig. l), lined with a strong muscular layer, the cavity 

 being occupied by a very delicate fibro-cellular tissue (PI. IX. fig. 14). The chitinous 

 pedicels have four more or less regular longitudinal series of funnel-shaped perforations. 

 These polypiferous peduncles are seated in a cup-shaped hollow, and attached by a much 

 restricted termination in a spiral direction around the upright stems, communication with 

 the interior of which is maintained through a fine funnel-shaped orifice (PI. XL figs. 12, 

 13). The polypides are of the usual pedicelline character, and have a very short flexible 

 stalk, which is attached just within the upper edge of the chitinous pedicels, and when 

 young is continuous with the inner cellular tissue ; when mature the polypides appear to 

 be quite cut off from the pedicels on which they are placed, and from which they bud 

 in succession (PI. IX. fig. 5). The tentacles vary in number from twenty in a bud to 

 t^venty-six or twenty-eight in an adult, and are arranged more or less bilaterally and 

 symmetrically. The pedicels and stems are of a bright light brown colour usually ; the 

 Stems turning nearly black when old. The polypides are white and the barrels white or 

 nearly so, the transparent chitinous envelope being so thin that the white inner layer 

 shows through. 



The total length of the calyx and peduncle is 3*5 to 3"8 mm. The polypide 

 measuring about 0"65 x 0-5 mm., the pedicel 2'3 x 0*07 mm., and the barrel 075 x O'o mm. 



Habitat. — ^Station 163, off Twofold Bay, 150 fathoms. 



[Port Philip Heads.] 



The arborescent growth of this beautiful species distinguishes it at once from all 

 other known Pedicelline forms, but the rest of its structure leaves no doubt as to its 

 belonging to that order. 



At first sight it is difiicult to observe that the tentacles are not arranged in a 

 perfectly regular and continuous circle, but here and there indications may be noticed 

 that a wider space does occur between two at opposite sides of the circumference, viz., at 

 the t'wo ends of the sj-mmetrical plane of the animal ; the bilateral arrangement is most 

 clearly seen in a young budding Polypide (PI. X. fig. 2) which appears closely to resemble 

 the figures given by Hatschek' in his paper on Pedicellina echinata, and also the figure 

 and description by Salensky.' The buds arise in succession spirally and somewhat in 

 pairs (PI. X. fig. 1) round the growing ends of the chitinous stems and branches. Fresh 

 polypides also bud from the ends of the pedicels after others have died and dropped off ; 

 that this al.so occurs in Pedicellina has been noticed and described by Salcusky.'^ and 



' ZeiUchr.f. wiss. ZooL, Bd. xiix. pi. ixx. figs. 39, 40, 45. ' Ann. d. Sci. Nal., slt. 6, t. v. p. 3C, pi. .xv. tig. 30. 

 • Loc. cit., pp. 30, 31. 



