34 NOTES ON MEDUSA AND POLYPES 



able and peculiar " thread-cell," I propose to call the " Nematophora " ; 

 2nd, that this great family consists further of two subdivisions, the 

 number of which as affixed, if we consider one subdivision, and 

 strictly analogous and parallel if we consider the two subdivisions as 

 thus ; — 



Nematophora. 



Hydroidffi. Actinida;. 



Corynidee. Zoanthidse. 



Sertularidje. Sarcoidea. 



Physophoridze. Pennatulida;, 



DiphydjE. Madreporidae. 



Medusidfe. Beroidse. 



I believe that I have already evidence enough on the " Hydroid " 

 side, but on the other I have done nothing, or next to nothing. 

 It is a very difficult investigation, but if this intolerable heat 

 leaves me energy enough I will do something towards it. I am 

 unwilling to write hastily or without due evidence on this matter 

 (especially since the establishment of my views must, as it seems to 

 me, necessitate the total re-arrangement of the " Radiata "), and I 

 mean therefore merely to go on making observations until we return to 

 England. If then I find any means offer itself of publishing my 

 results on an appropriate scale, well and good ; if not, I suppose I 

 must content myself with feeling like a " mute inglorious Hampden," 

 and like a good philanthropist, pity the public for its loss. 



I have a great advantage in the society and kind advice (to say 

 nothing of the library) of Mr. MacLeay in Sydney. Knowing little 

 of his ideas, save by Swainson's perversions, I was astonished to find 

 how closely some of my own conclusions had approached his, obtained 

 many years ago in a perfectly different way. I believe that there 

 is a great law hidden in the " Circular system " if one could but get 

 at it, perhaps in Ouinarianism too ; but I, a mere chorister in the 

 temple, had better cease discussing matters obscure to the high priests 

 of science themselves. 



Keeping well in mind the old adage about "too many irons in the 

 fire," I have nevertheless been able to make a few scattered observa- 

 tions on other animals than the Acalephse, and I mean to embody 

 those on the Mollusca — comet-wise — making the " anatomy of Firola 

 and Atlanta " the nucleus whereunto to append a tail of observations 

 on the genera, which will I think possess some interest, referring to 

 the nervous system, structure of buccal mass, and the existence of a 

 peculiar urinary system. I will send this from Sydney to the Secre- 



