74 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. [April 



gently from the large appendages, until it terminates with a turn 

 at the above organ. This, besides containing the usual large 

 hooks, has two very distint bunches of hooks situated at each side 

 near the head. 



MiAXA STRiGiLis. — In the large appendages the beak is more 

 abrupt, and the hooks, which are stronger, are carried right along the 

 crown to the tip of the beak ; lower down there is a projection, which 

 has a base thicker than fasciuncula, and quickly narrowing to a point 

 (both these portions are slightly subject to variation for which I am j 

 unable at present to suggest a reason\ the other organs which do not | 

 vary at all, are, the organs terminating the central portion, which is 

 more pointed than in the other species; this organ is narrowed from 

 the base towards the middle, and thickens again before tapering oil" 

 to the point, a very elegantly vase shaped organ, and which is 

 entirely without the bunches of hooks which are present in fasciuncula. 

 Of the remaining two species the large appendages have no beak and 

 are densely clothed with strong hooks in literosa, whilst in fimmciila 

 they are differently shaped, are also without the beak, and the hooks 

 are quite absent. , 



In all I examined 14 specimens of fasciuncula of both the ochreous j 

 and reddish forms, all of which had the distinguishing characters of j 

 this species just described ; and 26 specimens of strigilis including the I 



