JOURNAL OF THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TOKYO IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY, 

 VOL. XXXV., ARTICLE 1. 



Japanese Nudibranchs 



By 



Sir Charles Eliot, 



President of the University of Hongkong. 



(With 2 plates). 



The Nudibranchs described in this paper belong for the most 

 part to the collection of the College of Science in the Imperial 

 University of Tokyo, which consists of specimens of varions ages 

 and not all equally well preserved. In particular the colour of 

 many has altogether disappeared. But for several species these 

 museum specimens have been kindly supplemented by others 

 obtained at the Biological Station of Misaki in 1907 and examined 

 by me a few months after their capture. They were accompanied 

 by coloured drawings made by a native artist, so that we have a 

 good idea of their appearance in life. Thirteen of these drawings 

 are reproduced in the plates which accompany the present paper. 

 Unfortunately some interesting forms, such as Melibe japonica and 

 Sphaerodoris japonica, are represented only by single specimens of 

 some age without notes or figures. 



It is noticeable that the collection contains several pelagic 

 or swimming forms which are widely distributed, at least in the 

 warmer waters of the globe. Such are Pliylliroe bucephala and 

 Fiona marina. It does not seem to me that Euplocamus japonicus (?) 

 and Glaiwus lineatus are clearly distinguished from the Atlantic 

 forms Eu. croceus and Gl. atlanticus, and the two latter species 

 should probably be considered as common to both oceans. 



The bulk of the collection comes from about Lat. 35" N. and 

 shows a mixture of tropical and temperate forms. Among the 

 latter may be counted Doris {Homoiodoris) japonica, said to be 



