14 1903 



Preliminary Notes on Coeloplana. 



BY 



James Francis Abbott, A.B. 



In the summer of 1901, while enjoying the hospitality of the 

 Misaki Marine Biological Station of the Tökyö Imperial University, I 

 was fortunate enough to find a number of specimens of a planarian-like 

 form very closely resembling Kowalevsky's Coeloplana. The next sum- 

 mer my renewed search was rewarded by the discovery of several more, 

 so that altogether some thirty or more specimens have been obtained. 

 As unavoidable circumstances will prevent me from publishing extended 

 results immediately, it has seemed best to briefly announce the discovery 

 and describe some points of superficial observation, reserving the details 

 of structure for a later paper. While doing so I must take the oppor- 

 tunity to express my gratitude to Dr. K. Mitstjktjei, Dean of the Science 

 College of the University, and Director of the Laboratory, for the 

 unfailing kindness and courtesy with which he has aided me through 

 out my visits to Misaki. 



The animal, which — tentatively at least — will be considered a Coelo- 

 plana, occurs as two clearly distinct species. It is littoral in its habits 

 and apparently wholly unfitted for life on the open sea. It possesses no 

 vibratile plates or swimming cilia and cannot swim, tho in captivity it 

 floats frequently on the surface of the water. 



It is found principally on encrusting algae — Zostera, Melobesia, dr., — 

 which it resembles so closely as to make detection extremely difficult 

 When found on the locks it is frequently stretched out to a thin mass 

 fo slime having little resemblance to anything animal. At such timea 



