[Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., Vol. XIV, No. i, pp. 1-52, June 5, 1901.] 



REPORT ON THE HEXACTINI/E OF THE COLUMBIA 



UNIVERSITY EXPEDITION TO PUGET SOUND 



DURING THE SUMMER OF 1896 



J. Playfair McMurrich 



[Plates I-III ; text figures I-II.] 



(Read November 14, 1898) 



In presenting this report I must testify to the pleasure I ex- 

 perienced in studying the collection, a pleasure due both to the 

 admirable preservation of all the specimens and to the careful 

 notes and drawings which accompanied them. The credit for 

 both belongs to Dr. Gary N. Calkins. The method employed 

 for the preservation w^as a preliminary immersion in magnesium 

 sulphate as suggested by Tullberg, followed by fixation and 

 preservation in formalin. Nearly all the specimens were beauti - 

 fully expanded and the histological preservation was excellent. 

 The only disadvantage presented by the method, probably due 

 to the formalin, w^as the failure of preparations to stain with the 

 ordinary carmine stains, such as Grenacher's borax carmine ; 

 haematoxylin stains acted admirably, however. 



I wish also to express my thanks to Mr. Alexander Agassiz 

 for his kindness in loaning me, for comparison, a number of 

 drawings of West Coast forms prepared from livings specimens 

 several years ago. 



The manuscript of this paper was originally com.pleted in 

 April, 1898, but I have taken advantage of the long delay which 

 has occurred in its publication to introduce some references to 

 papers which have appeared more recently, and also to correct 

 a grievous misapprehension into which I had fallen with regard 

 to the systematic position of Epiactis prolifcra. The nature of 

 this misapprehension is. explained in the description of the 

 species. 



(1) 



Annals N. Y. Acad. Sol, XIV, June 5, 1901 — i. 



