Zoology.] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Polyzoa. 



Plate 59, Fig. 1. 



BICELLAEIA TUBA (Busk). 



[Genus BICELLARIA (Blainville). (Sub-kingd. Mollusca. Class Polyzoa. Order In- 

 fundibulata. Sub-ord. Cheilostomata. Earn. Bicellariidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Branches continuously celluliferous ; cells biserial, turbinate, more or less 

 free above, aperture directed upwards and forwards, with several marginal or submarginal 

 spines.] 



Description. — -Cells elongated, considerably narrowed downwards ; aperture 

 nearly round, looking obliquely upwards and forwards ; 3 or 4 long submarginal 

 spines, and one short thick process at the anterior and outer part, with 3-6 long 

 spines articulated to its summit. Avicularium very long and trumpet-shaped, with 

 a minute mandible on the summit. Ovicell globular, placed at the summit of a 

 cell. 



Reference.— Busk, Voy. Ratt., i., 373 ; Cat. Mar. Pol. Brit. Mus., p. 42, 

 pi. xxxi. 



Queenscliff ; Western Port ; Portland, Mr. Maplestone. 



This species forms large, handsome dense tufts, sometimes 5 or 

 6 inches high. It is usually of a delicate pink color, but sometimes 

 of a silvery grey ; the cells in the latter being rather smaller and 

 more slender, but not otherwise differing. It is readily distinguished 

 by the peculiar thick process, springing from below and behind the 

 anterior and outer part of the margin, to the outer extremity of 

 which 3-5 long processes are articulated. The avicularia are very 

 peculiar. They are trumpet-shaped, very narrow, considerably 

 longer than the cells, to the back of which, a little below the 

 margin, they are articulated ; a minute mandible is situated in a 

 transverse cup-shaped hollow on the summit. One of the spines 

 is frequently lower down the back than the others. A branch 

 sometimes rises by a spirally twisted stem. 



Explanation op Figures. 



Plate 59. — Fig. 1, fragment, natural size. Fig. la, front view, magnified, showing the thick 

 process with its digitiform spines and several long trumpet-shaped avicularia. Fig. lb, back of 

 portion of same. Fig. 1c, ovicell. Fig. Id, portion of a branch originating by a spirally 

 twisted stem ; shows also an avicularium with its small mandible. 



* In different descriptions " zoarium " is used for " polyzoary," " zooecium " is used for " cell," and " ooecium " is used 



instead of " ovicell." 



[37 ] 



