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PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



[April, 1857. 



tion of the English, French and Norwegian species, which from 

 their general resemblance to 6'. mirabilis will probably be found 

 to possess the same type of tentaculum. They also agree in gen- 

 eral size, and especially in having usually long tentacula. 0. 

 thelostyla, and the following S. turricula, on the contrary, are 

 both characterized by short tentacula, which are probably solid. 

 Their digestive trunk also appears to be short. Such a generic 

 distinction is not rendered less probable by the fact that it would 

 be consonant with a difference in climatic distribution. 



At the same time, it should be mentioned, that Gegenbaur's 0. 

 thelostyla is an immature animal, as also were all the specimens 

 I have observed of the following species. 



Distribution. — Seas of Norway, Great Britain, France and New 

 England; and also, coast of Sicily(?), and of South Carolina(?). 



SARSIA TURRICULA, nov. spec, 

 PI. 8, Ff. 6-8. 



This species has not been observed in its adult condition. It 

 is tall, its length being somewhat greater in proportion to its 

 breadth than that of & mirabilis, Agass., and Oceania thelostyla, 

 Gegenb. which I take to be a Sarsia, or a relative of Sarsia, 

 with short tentacula. The latter species is much more closely 

 allied to S. turricula than any other of which I know. They are 

 both tall and cylindrical, and both have short and % almost serrate 

 tentacula, from the marked character of the thread-cell-bunches. 

 The present species, however, seems to be separated from that of 

 the Mediterranean by its greater height in proportion to its width. 

 I have not observed the tentacula to be tubular. When younger 

 than in fig. 6 this Sarsia sometimes has a quadrate form, which it 

 afterwards loses, fig. 7. I have not observed its actual liberation 

 from any hydroid, but can scarcely doubt that its larva is a 

 branching Coryne, with eight or nine scattered tentacula, (some- 

 times however evincing a disposition in about three indistinct 

 whorls,) and a somewhat elongated body, which grows commonly 

 on the break-water of Sullivan's Island. Sarsiae of this species 

 were found in a jar where this Coryne had been kept a day or 

 two. This Coryne grows in branching tufts upon algas, or rather 

 together with them, the alga and Coryne forming small peduncu- 

 lated tufts above low-water mark. I have observed Medusa-buds 

 upon it, which bore a resemblance to this Sarsia. 



It is to be remarked that this Sarsia of Charleston harbor is anal- 



