GERYONOPSIS DELICATULA. 39 



length below the opening. Down it run the gastric vessels to the most constricted point, 

 where they join a short campanulate stomach set on as if obliquely, and opening by four 

 ample, triangular, beautiful crimped lips. The breadth of the umbrella was two inches. I 

 saw no ocelli, though very possibly they are present. I placed one of these animals in a 

 tumbler of sea-water with some specimens of Cydippe equally alive and active. Before long 

 the Medusa seized one of them with its lips, and made such vigorous exertions to swallow the 

 ciliograde, that I had great difficulty in rescuing its victim. 



The peculiar form of the reproductive glands, which, indeed, are difficult to detect, 

 prevent us placing this animal in Geryonia, to which genus it has close affinity, or in DiancRU 

 (regarding Diancea probosciadalis as the type of the latter). The genus Timaoi Eschscholtz 

 seems to be its proper place. ["Discus facie infera in conum productus. Ventriculus 

 plicatus in apice coni situs. Canali quatemi cum circulo marginali conjuncti. Cirrhi 

 marginales numerosi."] The figure given by that author of his Tima flavilahris, from the 

 neighbourhood of the Azores, bears considerable resemblance to that of the species before us, 

 but the number of tentacula (80) is much greater. 



Plate V, f . 1, Tima Bairdii during contraction; 1, a, during expansion; 1, 5, as seen 

 from above. 



Genus X. Geryonopsis, Forbes. 



Umbrella hemispherical ; ovaries four, clavate, conspicuous on the sub-umbrella 

 in the course of the four simple radiating vessels ; margin of umbrella with numerous 

 short tentacula ; stomach at the extremity of a short peduncle, terminating in four 

 large fimbriated lips. 



Geryonopsis delicatula, Forbes. 

 Plate IX, Fig. 1 (under the namfe of Thaumantias cymhaloides). 



Anxious to retain, if possible, the names of recorded species in our British lists, I 

 referred to the Medusa cymhaloides of the older acalephologists, a very graceful and tender 

 jelly-fish, which is not uncommon on the south coast of England. With much reluctance I 

 abandon the reference, for though the character of the stomach, " voluminous and much 

 exceeding the border," mentioned by Peron, applies only to the animal before us among all 

 the immediate allies of Thaumantias, one of which, \he Medusa cymhaloides of Slabber, must 

 be-in the British seas, the other character of " tentaculis sedecim, basi bulbosis," adopted in 

 all diagnoses of that species, cannot by any stretch be made to apply, and is too positive to 

 be founded on imperfect observation, since the bulbs of the tentacula are distinctly stated to 

 be brilliantly ocellated. I trust further research will, before long, make better known to us 

 the original species of Slabber and Modeer.* 



The umbrella of my Medusa is hemispheric and rather depressed, smooth, transparent, 

 colourless, and of a singularly dehcate texture. The margin is encircled by a row of very 



* Plate IX was unfortunately altered and printed off before the name could be corrected. 



