﻿April, 1S57.] 



ELLIOTT SOCIETY. 



151 



It will be seen, however, from the following description, that it 

 is possible this species may prove the type of a new genus closely 

 allied to Zanclea, though not identical with it. For in the (un- 

 fortunately) young specimens which I obtained, there were but 

 two tentacula, which were moreover of a different appearance 

 from those of Zanclea, and the yet unopened mouth gave no 

 generic character. Should the mature animal preserve the 

 chief of these peculiarities, I propose for it Gemmaria as a generic 

 name. 



Distribution. — Mediterranean and Charleston Harbor. 



ZANCLEA GEMMOSA, nov. spec. 

 PI. 8, Fig. 4-5. 



Of this singular looking species, I have unfortunately taken 

 only a few individuals, all of which were quite young and pos- 

 sessed of but two tentacula. At this stage the breadth of the bell 

 is nearly equal to its height. The digestive trunk reaches half 

 way down the bell-cavity, is bluntly pointed at its yet imperforate 

 ora] extremity. The sinus at the intersection of the radiate tubes 

 is very large. A slight swelling of the lateral outline of the trunk 

 probably indicates the future sexual organs. A trace of the con- 

 nection with the larva is still left. The bell-wall is thin through- 

 out. The sinus at the junction of each radiate and marginal tube 

 is small, but dark colored, and this color, though not deep, is con- 

 tinued down the core of the tentaculum, which may possibly be 

 tubular. Immediately above each anastomosis and on the outer 

 surface is a beautiful cluster of large cells which are certainly 

 thread-cells, whose refractive powers give them a brilliancy such 

 as to remind us irresistibly of clusters of precious stones. These 

 brilliants are set in a membranous case as the similar less showy 

 organs of Willsia. Their disposition in a cluster is probably a 

 character of very young individuals, for I have found a specimen 

 not differing much in size from the rest which had these cells ar- 

 ranged in a row one by one as in Gegenbaur's species. Their po- 

 sition, confined to the neighborhood of the bell-margin, is also due 

 to the immaturity of the specimens. The tentacula are stout in the 

 shaft. The lower surface is irregularly roughened with the prom- 

 inences of a diaphanous epithelium. The appendages of the upper 

 surface, have a distinct, somewhat conical head, containing two or 

 three round cell-like looking corpuscles each. The pedicle by 

 which this head hangs to the tentaculum is extremely difficult of 



