L.M.B.C. MEDUSA. 263 



I had at Plymouth a colony of P. carnea in a bottle. 

 It budded off many medusae which were not like the figure 

 of the medusa of Podocoryne areolata given by Alder, nor 

 like the medusae which I have taken at Port Erin. The 

 Port Erin specimens approach nearer to Alder's figure of 

 P. areolata than to any other known medusa. I prefer 

 to leave them for the present under this name rather than 

 to make a new species. 



The earliest stage of the series I captured in Port Erin 

 Bay on March 31st, 1894. The umbrella about as long 

 as broad, 1J- mm. in diameter ; the ex-umbrella covered 

 with nematocysts. There are sixteen tentacles — 4 perra- 

 dial, 4 interradial and 8 adradial. The perradial tentacles 

 are longer than the interradial, and the latter are longer 

 than the adradial. The large bulbs at the base of the 

 tentacles, contain a reddish-yellow pigment. In addition 

 to the tentacles there is one small bulb placed between 

 two tentacles, which is evidently the commencement 

 of another tentacle. Near the mouth there are four 

 simple oral tentacles, each terminating in a cluster of 

 nematocysts. 



This naturally appears to be a later stage of Alder's 

 medusa of P. areolata. The main difference consists in 

 the presence of adradial tentacles in the place of the bulbs. 

 It is, however, usual for tentacles first to appear as small 

 bulbs upon the margin of the umbrella. The next stage 

 was taken at Plymouth, September 30th, 1893. The 

 umbrella nearly as long as broad, about 1 mm. in diameter, 

 the ex-umbrella covered with nematocysts. On the 

 margin of the umbrella there are 16 large tentacles — 4 

 perradial, 4 interradial and 8 adradial. The tentacle-bulbs 

 at the base of the tentacles of a dark brown colour. In 

 addition to the large tentacles there are four small, slender 

 tentacles, with colourless tentacle-bulbs. These are 



