TENTACLES OF A SIPHONOPHOEB. 3 



occupied from ten to twenty fathoms of line as it was drawn up. No time of the year 

 can be definitely stated as to when it was most abundant. 



Note by John Eennie, D.Sc, University of Aberdeen. 



The specimens described as " bootlaces " consist of a number of tentacles of a 

 Siphonophore, taken by Mr. Hodgson under the difficulties just described. The state 

 of preservation is not very good, the parts are extremely friable, and break readily 

 on manipulation. It is not possible to tell whether they originally formed one piece* 

 or not. Besides smaller portions, there are nine parts, ranging in length from 

 about 30 cm. to 6 cm., with an almost uniform diameter of 3'6 mm. The surface 

 is in colour a dirty greyish white, and under a low power is seen to be divided up 

 into definitely marked areas (see figs. 1-5), such as distinguish the tentacles found by 

 the Scottish Antarctic Expedition, and described by me.f Cnidoblasts of large size are 

 present in great abundance upon these areas. They possess a lasso, which is at least 

 nine times the length of the cell, and which is barbed throughout its entire length. 

 Ectodermal and endodermal canals of the ordinary type are present, and no further 

 noteworthy features are observable. These tentacles differ from those of the Scottish 

 Expedition, both in colour and consistency, the latter being brownish and of a markedly 

 gelatinous nature even in their badly preserved parts. They appear to belong to a 

 distinct and otherwise unknown form. 



* Before being taken from the water the organism was unquestionably in a single piece, and was so whenever 

 it occurred.— T.V.H. 



t Proc. Eoyal Physical Society, Edin. XVI. (1904), p. 25-7. 



