4 
RT ee dR ee eee es ae Fee eer 
Astronomy. 259 
(1864). Of the Echinoderms, Oligotrochus vitreus Sars has been 
recorded by me, in this Journal, as from deep water, off our coast, 
and I have also dredged it off Nova Scotia (1877). 
The genus Kinetoskias is established for two very remarkable 
forms of Polyzoa, both of which have been dredged by us, off 
the New England coast. One of these (K. Smittii) is identical 
with Bugula flexilis, described and figured by me in this Journal, 
(vol. ix, p. 415, pl. vii, f. 1, 2, 1875) and probably, also, with the 
Naresia cyathus, figured and partially described by Thompson in 
he Voyage of the Challenger (vol. i, p. 142). The specimens 
numerous specimens dredged by me are, also, for the most part, 
attached to a stem of the same sort, but varying much in size and 
condition. They occur chiefly on muddy bottoms, in 50 to 430 
athoms, in many localities, associated with Corymorpha pendula, 
and their “stems” appear to be identical with the dead stems of 
the Sertularia and the supposed Corymorpha-stem! Therefore I 
am led to conclude that the “stem” does not form an integral 
part of the Polyzoan. Nevertheless its structure is, in other re- 
Spects, so peculiar as to justify its separation from Bugula, asa 
distinct genus. The second species (K. arborescens = Bugula 
umbella Smitt) was dredged by us in 1877, off Halifax, N.5., in 
110 fathoms, sandy mud. The article on Gephyree is a useful 
monograph of the Norwegian species, several of which are also 
found on the New England coast. A, E, VERRILL. 
III. Astronomy. 
1. Observatory on Mt. Etna. Letter to the Editors from Pro- 
Professor Tacchini of Palermo; and it will have a situation 
unequalled by any site at present so occupied in the world. 
