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Part III — Seventh Annual Report 



their own part, so that they have almost all the advantages which the 

 Arac/mactis-st&ge gives the larval Edwardsia. Though the latter genus 

 is well represented in St Andrews Bay or near it, only a single example 

 of the Arachnadis-stage was procured. This consisted of a minute 

 pelagic form about J- in. long from the mid- water net of the 11th 

 June — amongst Hydromedusse and other Coelenterates, and as this larval 

 type is rare, a few remarks may be made on it. In lateral view it 

 somewhat resembles a cushion-star, and is more or less translucent, a 

 faint tinge of yellowish existing at the tips of the tentacles. Of the 

 latter there are four conspicuously larger than the rest, three a little 

 shorter, and two tentacle-buds opposite the median one. The oral region 

 shows two prominent papillae • and the mesenteries, though apparently 

 not quite complete, are well marked. 



Food-fishes of various kinds are extremely fond of anemones, and rare 

 forms have frequently been procured from the stomachs of cod. Moreover, 

 the Pleuronectids are especially fond of Edwardsice, in some cases nothiug 

 else having been found in their stomachs. The pelagic young anemones, 

 thus borne by the jelly-fishes just mentioned, are placed within easy reach 

 of the active young gadoids and Pleuronectids, both of which probably 

 diminish the numbers at this stage as well as a subsequent one, when they 

 are settling on the sand. 



Thaumantias hemisphcerica reached full maturity this month. It 

 appears to be common almost everywhere round the British shores. 

 T. inconspicua, Forbes, formerly procured in the Hebrides, occurred in 

 considerable numbers several times about the middle of the month. All 

 examined, however, were immature, and none exceeded \ of an inch. T. 

 lucifera, Forbes, again, a somewhat minute species (under J inch), appeared 

 in great numbers at the beginning and end of the month. It seems to be 

 generally distributed round the coast. Once or twice a form referable to 

 PMalidium variabile ( = T. globosa, Forbes), was present with the others 

 in the mid-water net. None were quite mature. They ranged from 

 -|- inch downward. The variability of a species with regard to maturity 

 was well observed in T. maculata, Forbes, procured by its discoverer only 

 sparingly in the Zetlandic seas, which was very numerous, and very 

 ripe on the 23d, while those obtained on the 25th were not so far 

 advanced in this respect. Numerous specimens of the small T. octona, 

 Forbes, occurred about the middle of the month. This form, according 

 to Forbes, is a western one, having been procured both at Oban and 

 Tarbet, Loch Fyne. The specimens were immature. Many examples 

 allied to the pinkish T. gibbosa, Forbes, were captured on the 13th and 

 l$th. It was first procured in the Hebrides. A large immature form, 

 which was found at the beginning and end of the month, seemed to differ 

 from any of the foregoing. 



Bougainvillia britannica appeared in the mid-water net almost daily 

 throughout the month. They varied in size, but none were quite ripe. 

 The same may be said of Sarsia tubulosa, many being small, and all 

 immature. One or two specimens of Lizzia oetopunctata were observed 

 during the first half of the month. It is not an abundant form in the 

 Bay, and generally small to \ inch). Once only Oceania episcopalis, 

 about \ of an inch in diameter, was captured in the mid-water net on 

 the 18 th June. 



Several others not yet satisfactorily identified, and a fragmentary 

 example of Stauridium, complete the series. 



The importance of the foregoing forms in regard to the present inquiry 

 rests mainly on the vast number of ova which they produce, and also the 

 resulting free-swimming Planulae, both of which largely increase the food- 



