EOLIS DESPECTA. 



tion attributed to the branchial papillae, the chief character on which his genus rests. 

 Forskal's statement we conceive to have originated in a mistake. More than one naturalist 

 has been deceived by the transparent tips of the papillae in Eolis, which being generally 

 surrounded by an opaque ring, have the appearance, when looked down upon, of being hollow. 



Eolis despecta is a gregarious animal ; 18 or 20 specimens were found under the same 

 stone at Whitley rocks. They had deposited their spawn on a small coralline {Laomedea 

 gelatinosa) that covered the under side of the stone. In Oban Bay they were met with in 

 yet greater numbers on Laomedea geniculata attached to the large fronds of Laminaria 

 saccharina dredged up in five or six fathoms water. In the latter place we should think a 

 hundred specimens might readily have been obtained in a short time : they were also spawn- 

 ing. The spawn, which in both cases was met with in the month of June, is a small kidney- 

 shaped mass ; the ova inclosed in a thick transparent envelope. Its form differs from that 

 of any other species we have met with. 



A few individuals kept for several days we found to be very active and restless in their 

 habits, and fond of swimming inverted on the surface of the water. The vibratile cilia on 

 the body of this species are larger than usual. 



Fig. 1, 2. Eolis despecta. 



3. The same, dark variety, with the papillae encircled with red. 

 4, 5. Papillae more highly magnified. 

 6. Spawn. 



(The figures in this Plate have inadvertently been reversed.) 



