On the Genus Botellina. 187 



could not at the time be made out. On closer examination, later, it 

 was found that several of these samples were made up almost wholly 

 of a beautiful arenaceous Foraminifera of large dimensions, with an 

 erect robust test, and pinnate in form, measuring from f inch to 

 2 inches or more in height, § inch to \ inch in circumference, 

 varying in colour from a brick-red to light and dark brown, or burnt- 

 sienna, of which in previous samples I had examined I had obtained 

 only small fragments. At two stations, Nos. 593 and 594, lat. 33° 

 50' S., long. 25° 54' 30" E. in 26 fathoms, the samples from both 

 of these stations were found to consist of a mass of this gigantic 

 Ehizopod, sufficient to more than fill a half-gallon measure — enough, 

 surely, to gladden the heart of the most ardent Rhizopodist. 



Here, then, was sufficient material to work out the true character 

 and position of the genus Botellina, of which hitherto fragments 

 only had been discovered. I therefore decided to examine all the 

 samples carefully with that purpose in view. The results of my 

 study are depicted in the following pages. 



Notwithstanding the large amount of material on hand, there were 

 still serious doubts as to whether all or any of the specimens were 

 really perfect. 



In the great number afterwards examined, I found that the basal 



portion of each individual specimen (with three exceptions) showed 



a true and more or less clean fracture (see figs. 1, a-b, pi. 1), as 



if they had been broken sharply off from a basal attachment, 



showing clearly that they must have been, when living in their 



natural condition, attached to some foreign body on the sea-floor, 



or had possessed a large primordial chamber embedded in the 



deposit to support such a large test ; although diligent search was 



made nothing of the kind was found, till a sample of deposit 



obtained off Cape Natal was examined, viz., Station No. 11,074, 



Cape Natal, N. \ W., distant 4^ miles, at a depth of 55 fathoms. In 



this deposit, composed of a siliceous sand, containing a considerable 



percentage of shell and coral fragments, amongst which a number 



of the large Botellina were found, seven large oval, sublenticular, 



and subangular arenaceous chambers were obtained, showing a 



prominent elongation or tubular neck at one point, similar in 



composition, character, and colour to the large fractured, robust 



pinnate form previously discovered, which at once connected them 



with the incomplete arenaceous tests or Botellina, mentioned above, 



as taken in mass at Stations Nos. 593 and 594 ; indeed, with two or 



three of these chambers it was found possible, with scarce a doubt, 



to fit the fracture of the neck-like prolongations of these chambers 



to the fractures at the basal ends of the large pinnate branching 



