SAESIA GEMMIFEEA. 57 



devoured tliese animals, so much more highly organized than themselves, voraciously ; appa- 

 rently enjoying the destruction of the unfortunate members of the upper classes with a truly 

 democratic relish. One of them even attacked and commenced the swallowing of a Li%%ia 

 octopunctata, quite as good a Medusa as itself. An animal which can pout out its mouth 

 twice the length of its body, and stretch its stomach to corresponding dimensions, must indeed 

 be " a triton among the minnows," and a very terrific one too. Yet is this ferocious creature 

 one of the most delicate and graceful of the inhabitants of the ocean — a very model of ten- 

 derness and elegance. 



Plate VI, fig. 2, a, represents the Sarsia tuhulosa of natural size ; 2, b, magnified ; 

 2, c, a tentacle, bulb, and ocellus ; 2, d, the peduncle retracted and inflated. 



2. Sarsia pulchella, Forbes. 



Plate VI, Fig. 3. 



A much smaller species than the last ; none of the specimens which I have met exceeding 

 a quarter of an inch in length of body. The umbrella is sub-orbicular, and very convex, 

 transparent, colourless, and smooth. The margin is quadrate, each angle bearing a large 

 ocellated tubercle, from which a rather thick tentacle springs. The tentacle is of a pale pink 

 colour ; the tubercle at its base transparent, with a mass of pink or orange pigment-cells at 

 its upper part, from which depends a brilliant green pedicle, with a jet-black ocellus at its 

 extremity. The sub-umbrella is prominent, and rather conic. Down its sides run the four 

 gastric vessels, coloured pale pink. Round its opening is a four-lobed veil. From its centre 

 hangs the proboscidiform peduncle, which is rarely protruded beyond the umbrella, and more 

 frequently contracted into various flask-like shapes. Its point of affixment rises as a short 

 pink cone above the sub-umbrella ; its orifice is round. It is of a brownish-red colour, with 

 a green-tinged oral extremity. 



It is a very active animal, and very tenacious of life. It never extends its tentacula so 

 far as the preceding species, and often carries them coiled up spirally. I found several 

 specimens in Brassay Sound, Zetland, in 1845. 



Plate VI, fig. 3, a, represents this species of the natural size ; 3, b, magnified ; 3, c, the 

 bulb of a tentacle ; 3, d, a. tentacle coiled up. 



3. Sarsia gemmifera, Forbes. 



Plate VII, Fig. 2. 



The very remarkable animal which I have now to describe, was discovered in the Zetland 

 seas by Mr. M'Andrew and myself in 1845 : several specimens were taken. It was the first 

 Sarsia which we found exhibiting a distinct mode of reproduction, and that by gemmation 

 from the walls of the peduncle. 



The Sarsia gemmifera is a very small species, scarcely a quarter of an inch in length of 

 body. Its umbrella is pyriform, smooth, and colourless. The aperture of it is rather con- 

 tracted and quadrangular. At each angle there is a conspicuous ocellated tubercle of a pear 

 shape, its upper part pale tawny, its middle dark orange, and its base colourless, with a well- 

 defined, jet-black ocellus. Round the orifice of the sub-umbrella, which is pyriform, is a four- 



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