Zoology.] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Polyzoa. 



Of this species, I have only a single tuft. It is quite distinct, 

 and easily recognisable by the long, slightly expanded, turbinate 

 cells, the nearly circular aperture, and the 3 or 4 submarginal 

 spines. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 59. — Fig. 5, portion, natural size. Fig. 5a, front view, magnified. Fig. 56, back 

 view. 



Plate 59, Fig. 6. 



STIRPARIA ANNULATA (Maplestone). 



[Genus STIRPARIA (Goldstein). (Sub-kingd. Mollusca. Class Polyzoa. Order Infun- 

 dibulata. Sub-ord. Cheilostoraata. Fam. Bicellariidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Celluliferous branches attached in regular tufts to a bare, annulated, corneous 

 common stem. Cells biserial, turbinate, aperture looking upwards and forwards and with 

 marginal spines.] 



Description. — This species forms beautiful tufts about three inches high. 

 Each branch is formed of a soft corneous stem, narrowed at intervals of about an 

 eighth of an inch. The narrow parts are regularly and distinctly annulated, but not 

 articulated ; the annulations extend, especially in the older portions, to a greater or 

 less extent on the swollen fusiform parts, more prominently at their bases. The 

 lower parts of the stems have no cell-bearing branches. These are attached regu- 

 larly, one on each side at the summit of a spindle-shaped portion, by a short annu- 

 lated stem, which swells at the top and bifurcates, the divisions again rapidly bifur- 

 cating, so as to form beautiful fan-shaped tufts. The cells are turbinate. The 

 aperture is large, opening upwards and forwards. There are usually 4 very long, 

 incurved spines articulated closely together to the outer edge, a separate spine from 

 the inner part of the aperture passing behind the cell above, and another separate 

 spine on the front of the cell below the aperture. The cells are distinct behind, 

 and each has a peculiar bifurcate mark on the back. The ovicells are cucullate, 

 attached to the outer edge of the margin of the aperture. 



Reference. — Bicellaria annulata, Maplestone, Journ. Microp. Soc. Vict. 1879. 



Cape Otway, Mrs. George Caldwell ; Portland, Mr. Maplestone. 



Explanation of Figubes. 



Plate 59. — Fig. 6, branch, natural size. Fig. 6a, front view, magnified, showing the 

 arrangement of the spines and ovicells. Fig. 66, back view, showing the peculiar bifurcate 

 mark. Fig. 6c, portion of the common stem, magnified. 



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