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PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON A NATURAL HISTORY 



considerable extent vegetarians. The alimentative phenomena in 

 the varied representatives of the Class Ecliinodertnata aie very 

 dissimilar. In the closely allied family group of the Qpliiuridis or 

 Snake-armed Starfishes, by way of example, they are totally distinct. 

 Several species of this group were collected in the Barrier Reef and 

 also at Port Darwin, one of these being remarkable for the brilliant 

 emerald green tint of its snake-like arms. In an English species 

 of the same group, Ophiura texturata, kept by me in an aquarium, 

 the animals habitually lay buried in the sand. Immediately, how- 

 ever, that food in the form of minced fish or mussel was placed on 

 the surface of the sand, they emerged from their hiding place, 

 detecting the presence of the food apparently by a sense akin to 

 smell, and throwing their arms around it drew it to their mouths, or 

 more correctly dragged their bodies over and engulphed the food. 



A considerable collection was made of representatives of 

 the Class Ccelenterata, including Madrepores or stony corals, Gor- 

 gonias or Sea-fans, Sea Anemones, and Jelly-Fish; coloured drawings 

 and notes of their living appearance being also recorded. The 

 time and opportunity not having been yet at disposal to write out 

 this somewhat extensive subject, further details are postponed for 

 some future occasion. It is desirable however, that I should 

 acknowledge here my indebtedness to the Hon. W. Langdon 

 Parsons, Government Resident at Palmerston, Port Darwin, for 

 special facilities in collecting the Ccelenterata of that district, he 

 having placed the government steam launch at my disposal for 

 dredging purposes while that of H.M.S " Myrmidon " was under 

 repairs. Many valuable specimens were thus secured. The same 

 remark made of the Ccelenterata must apply also to the class of 

 the Protozoa including especially many rich gatherings of Formini- 

 fera. In an excursion made from Palmerston up the Darwin River 

 I succeeded in obtaining a varied collection of the minute Proto- 

 phytes known as Desmids, but which I have not the immediate 

 facilities for identifying. 



Apart from the general natural history collections now 

 briefly summarised, some few objects were collected belonging to the 



