1876.'] Biology of the ^Valorous' Cruise, 1875. 



223 



Htdeozoa. 

 By Professor Allmai?, E.E.S., P.L.S. 



Among the Hydroids of the 'Valorous' dredgings which I have as 

 yet examined are many new species, and some which I believe I must 

 place in new generic groups. The curious organism dredged in 1450 

 fathoms, lat. 56° 11' N., loug. 37° 41' W is especially interesting ; for 

 though it retains none of its soft parts, I have little doubt of its being a 

 second species of StepJianoscyi^hus, found hitherto only in the Mediter- 

 ranean, unless some dried specimens from the ]N"orth Atlantic, which I 

 had formerly received from Mr. Gwyn Je&eys, should be referable to the 

 same genus, a fact by no means improbable. 



There is also a little Campanularian in which I can find no point which 

 will specifically distinguish it from a species obtained at Kerguelen 

 Island by Mr. Eaton, the naturalist of the ' Transit ' Expedition to that 

 island. I have not yet completed my examination of all the specimens. 

 The work is necessarily slow where every specimen is to be submitted to 

 microscopic examination, and careful dra^ving made of such as may turn 

 out to be new. 



COEALS. 



By Professor Dijnca^-, E.E.S., P.G.S. 

 The Corals sent to me were dredged in 690 fathoms, lat. 56° 1' N., 

 long. 34° 42' W. They consist of 



1. A small Caryojpliyllia \ a young individual. The species can hardly 

 be determined, but I believe that it is not a new form. 



2. Flabellum laciniatuon ; fragments, showing an unusual scantiness 

 of carbonate of lime. 



Eoeaminifeea. 

 By William B. Caepentee, M.D., LL.D., E.E.S. 



The calcareous-shelled Eoraminifera collected during this cruise did not 

 present any novelty either as regards type or distribution, except that 

 the beautiful deep-sea form of Orhitolites which I noticed in the first 

 ' Porcupine ' Report (1869, § 36), and which I subsequently met with 

 in the Mediterranean, occurred abundantly in the Baffin's-Bay and ^orth- 

 Atlantic dredgings — attaining the same large size in the far north as it 

 does off the west coast of Ireland and in the Mediterranean, and showing 

 here, as elsewhere, a true spiroloculine centre, which indicates the close 

 relation of its cyclical to the spiral plan of growth. The Nodosarine type 

 is peculiarly conspicuous in the size of individual specimens, especially 

 smooth-shelled Nodosarians, as also in the number and beauty of its 

 more delicate and beautifully sculptured forms. 



But the arenaceous Eoraminifera furnish a most interesting addition 

 to those collected in the 'Porcupine' Expeditions, and show, by their 

 extraordinary size and relative abundance, that this t^^e is preeminently 



