476 The American Naturalist. [May, 
is in the hands of Dr. W. Migula, of Karlsruhe, and promises to be of 
great interest and value. Parts I. and II., which have appeared since 
the first of the present year, are largely devoted to a discussion of gen- 
eral matters. In part II. we have an outline of Dr. Migula’s system of 
classification as applied to the Characeze. He insists npon their isola- 
ted position in the vegetable kingdom, and proposes the name Charo- 
phyta for the group, which contains about one hundred and fifty species 
(and subspecies) in the whole world. These are distributed among six 
genera, which in turn fall into two sub-families. 
CHAROPHYTA, 
Family Characez.—1. Sub-Family Nitellee.—Gen., Nitella and 
Tolypella. 
2. Sub-Family Chareze.—Gen., TZolypelopsis, Lamprothamnus, Lychno- 
thamnus and Chara. 
The German species of JVite//a number thirteen, nearly all of which 
are described by the end of Part III. lately received. Good illustrations 
accompany the full text, and thus give us a most usefu' work. 
ZOOLOGY. 
Hoplophoria coralligens.—Is a new Actinian from the Bahamas, 
described by Dr. H. V. Wilson.1 Only a single specimen was found. 
In general structure it was on the ordinary Hexactinian type. The 
mesenterial filaments were typical, and there were no acontia. The spe- 
cimen was a female, with ovaries developed on but four mesenteries 
belonging to the primary cycle. Just beneath the circle of tentacles 
are four large organs which are diverticula of the gastrovascular space, 
and which are stinging weapons. These structures are not modified 
tentacles, but are homologised with the marginal sacs (randasckchen ) 
which were formerly regarded as eyes in many Actinians. Hoplo- 
phoria is regarded as a member of the Antheade, in which, besides the 
points enumerated above, only the six primary mesenteries reach the 
cesophagus. 
1 Studies from the Biol. Lab., Johns Hopkins Univ., IV., p. 379, 1890. 
