DOTO CORONATA. 



puce-coloured spots, relieving with great force the delicate rose-coloured branchial pro- 

 cesses. Sometimes the body is bright yellow, with the spots both on it and on the 

 branchiae, of a fine carmine ; and another variety occurs with the branchial processes 

 nearly colourless, being tinged only with a watery green, and having the spots almost 

 black. 



Boto coronata is found on all parts of our coast that have been properly examined, 

 and may be considered amongst the most common of our deep water species. Its favourite 

 haunt is amongst the corallines that grow at a short distance from the shore, in between 

 fifteen and twenty fathoms water : of these it appears to prefer Plumularia falcata and 

 Sertularia abietina. Dr. Johnston states that he found about a dozen specimens on one 

 tuft of Plumularia Catherina. It is also frequently found on /Sertularia pumila among 

 the rocks at low-water mark. 



This species is found on the French, Dutch, and Swedish coasts, so that its range 

 probably extends through the whole of the European seas. 



The spawn is always found on corallines; the ova are white and deposited in a 

 thick gelatinous riband, which is folded on the stem of the coralline in a zig-zag manner. 

 July appears to be the height of the breeding season ; spawn, however, occurs both in June 

 and August. 



After having been referred to at least six genera by different authors, this little animal, 

 it is to be hoped, may at last find a resting-place in the genus to which, following Dr. Loven, 

 we have now consigned it. 



The Boris pinnatifida of Montagu, which we place with doubt as a synonym of this 

 species, is still involved in much obscurity. We had hoped, while on the Devonshire coast, 

 to have satisfactorily made out that species, especially as we explored Montagu's favourite 

 dredging grounds, and, while in Salcombe estuary, had the assistance of the boatman who 

 was accustomed to attend him. Our search for this and some others of Montagu's lost 

 species was, however, without success. Boto coronata was found at Salcombe, and we also 

 met with the same species in Torbay as well as Boto fragilis. Is it not possible, therefore, 

 that one of these may really be the Boris pinnatifida ? Dr. Johnston thought that he recog- 

 nized it in the latter, but we are of opinion, from its small size, slender form, and the spots on 

 the tips of the branchial tubercles (an almost invariable character in B. coronata, but never 

 found in B. fragilis^ that it is much more likely to belong to the former species. There is, 

 in fact, nothing in Montagu's description, if we except, perhaps, the colour, and an additional 

 row of tubercles on the branchiae,* which does not agree with the characters of B. coronata. 

 The figure is less like it, but some allowance must be made for the evident want of skill in the 

 artist. The number of branchial processes is not mentioned in the description, but nine pairs 

 are represented in the figure, a number beyond what we have ever found in B. coronata, 

 though in one instance we have seen it with eight pairs ; it is, however, still less like the 

 young of B. fragilis, which, when no larger than Montagu's specimen, has only six pairs of 

 branchial processes, and no more than three or four rows of papillae, and is, moreover, entirely 

 without spots. Further observations may throw additional light on the subject, but should 



* M. D'Orbigny's Tergipes coronata, which we have given as a synonym of our species, has the 

 same number of rows of tubercles as Montagu's Doris pinnatifida. 



