1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 175 



having the column marked with longitudinal, alternating, greenish 

 bands, the rest of the body being dull whitish ; the number of septa 

 usually amounts to 48 ; the ovaria are bluish purple, the craspeda 

 yellowish or greyish white and the acontia purely white. 



Dr. Stoliczka then drew the attention of the meeting to the most 

 interesting points relating to the anatomy of the species. He first gave 

 a general sketch of the principal parts of a Sagartia, and then stated 

 that in the present instance, the body was found to be composed of 

 five different layers. The outermost is almost only represented by a 

 mucous substance, chiefly composed of large cnidce, or nettle cells, and 

 some few, pale green, pigment cells. Then follows a thin muscular 

 layer, principally composed of concentric or cross fibres ; next a rather 

 thick layer of green pigment, then again a thick muscular layer gra- 

 dually passing into a tough, muscular tissue, in which skleroids of 

 two kinds are imbedded. The one kind are long and cylindrical bacilli, 

 with short lateral processes and consist of carbonate of lime ; the 

 other kind are thin, flat, rectangular plates of various forms consist- 

 ing of silica. 



The nature of these skleroids, after their difference of form has been 

 observed by simple maceration of the tissue, was positively ascertained 

 by burning a specimen in a platina crucible, until all organic matter 

 disappeared. The result was, that a perfect skeleton of the animal 

 was obtained, representing an irregular network of solid, white 

 fibres. Upon placing a portion of the skeleton in hydrochloric acid, 

 the largest portion, being carbonate of lime, was dissolved, leaving 

 behind a very thin membrane composed of the siliceous skieroid 

 particles. It is to be hoped that this observation will induce 

 other naturalists to examine similar species, and there is a probability 

 that the definition of the Anthozoa malacodermata will have to 

 undergo considerable changes. 



The tentacles are usually arranged near the periphery of the disc 

 in apparently alternating circles, the number of them rising up to 

 about 150 or 160. The acontia, craspeda and ovaria, all are attached 

 to the internal side of the strongly muscular larynx. The acontia are 

 very long, purely white bands, solely consisting of long cnidce, being 

 transparent cells with more or less prolonged, retractile and bearded 

 stilets, called eclhoreea. These acontia are issued through the holes 



