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ART. XI. — Contributions towards a knowledge of the Marine Invertebrate Fauna, 

 of the coasts of Rhode Island and New Jersey. 



By Joseph Leidy, M. D. 



The present communication consists of notices and descriptions of invertebrate 

 animals observed during a visit of two weeks, the last August, to Joseph P. Hazard, 

 Esq., on Point Judith, at the entrance of Naragansette Bay, Rhode Island ; and of 

 other invertebrate animals collected by Samuel Ashmead, Esq., or myself, in short 

 visits to Absecom Beach, in the vicinity of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and to Beesley's 

 Point, at the mouth of Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey. 



PORIFERA. 



1. Grantia cilitia, Flemming. Sponge elliptical, with a single terminal orifice 

 surrounded with a crown of spicule. Color yellowish white ; length from two lines 

 to three-fourths of an inch. Point Judith ; attached to corallines, mytili, &c. 



2. Grantia botrtoides, Flemming. Sponge branching irregularly ; branches ovate 

 or cylindroid, tubular, with a single terminal aperture. Structural spiculae trident. 

 Point Judith ; with the preceding species. 



POLYPI. 



3. Clava multicornis, Johnston. (PI. XI. figs. 33, 34.) Polypidom a very short, 

 thin tube of attachment. Polype clavate, with the dilated portion roseate, the re- 

 maining portions translucent whitish. Tentaculae up to twenty. Ova attached in 

 clusters by means of a pedicle below the tentaculae. Length of polypes up to two 

 lines. Point Judith ; in shaded pools between tides, attached to barnacles, the rocks, &c. 



Although I found numerous individuals of this polype, I saw none greater than 

 the measurement above given ; whereas, the european Clava multicornis is stated to 

 exceed half an inch in length. If this is a constant difference, most probably others 

 will be found on comparison sufficient to characterise the american Clava as a dis- 

 tinct species. In all the specimens examined I observed a polypidom in the form of 

 a small cup enclosing the basis of attachment, as seen in figures 33, 34. 



4. Hydraotinia echinata, Johnston. (PI. XI. fig. 35.) Polypidom crustaceous ; 

 brown, furnished with simple and compound spines. Polypes long clavate, trans- 

 lucent white ; with the head obtuse and furnished with an alternating circle of from 



six to eighteen cylindrical tentaculse, Ovigerous polypes smaller than the others, sur- 



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