110 The Genera of the Phimulai^iidce. 



under the gen as Desmoscyphus of Allman ; but I have not 

 been able to adopt this genus, owing to the inconstancy of 

 the characteristic feature. In some of the species it is 

 j^resent, while in others most closely allied to them it is 

 wanting ; and there are several species which vary in this 

 respect in different specimens. Very often the hydrothecse 

 at the distal part of a branch are adnate to each other, while 

 those in the proximal portion are separated. 



In describing this species (as well as >S. minuta) I have 

 fallen into a slight inaccuracy as regards the position of the 

 gonangia, which spring from the basal part of the lowest 

 internode, but from the side of it rather than behind, as 

 stated in the " Catalogue." 



Lytocarpus rainosus, n. sp. — This species would come 

 under the genus Aglaophenia, as defined in the foregoing 

 pages, and it appears scarcely distinct from A. divaricata, 

 a somewhat variable species. The corbula is like those of 

 A. plumosa (Bale) and A. acanthocarpa (Allman) in every 

 essential point; but in those species the "ribs" are slightly 

 flattened and less arched. 



The specific name ramosa is preoccupied by the Plumu- 

 laria ramosa of Busk, a species closely resembling the 

 present both in the trophosome and the gonosome. There 

 is also an Aglaophenia ramosa, the gonosome of which is 

 unknown, among Allman 's Gulf Stream Hyclroids. 



Phimularia ramosa (Busk), P. divaricata (Busk), and 

 Lytocarpus ramosus (Allman) are all found in or near 

 Bass' Straits, and it is not unlikely that on future investiga- 

 tion they may all prove to be varieties of one species. 



