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Part III. — Seventh Annual lieport 



was captured throughout the month, but in small numbers, and of variable 

 size. Many were ripe. Bougainvillia nigritella was procured once or 

 twice in a ripe condition. Stomobrachium cctocoskitum, more or less ripe, 

 appeared sparingly once or twice and of good size. Another gonozoid, 

 2 -5 mm. in diameter, presented a somewhat globular umbrella with 24 

 large purplish tentacular bulbs, from which proceeded as many slightly 

 pinkish tentacles. Sub-umbrella reaching nearly to the tip of the umbrella. 

 Peduncle with four lips produced into branched filiform processes. The 

 four double ovaries were filled with large orange-red ova, apparently ripe. 

 Tima bairdi frequently occurred in this net, both small and fairly grown 

 examples (about 1£ inch). All were immature. Moreover, an example 

 about five-eighths of an inch across was in the condition formerly noted 

 in the abnormal specimens of a Thaumantias in 1886,* for it had no 

 peduncle and consequently no mouth, the four radiating canals terminating 

 in a small circular median spot, which, however, showed no aperture. 



Beroe was somewhat plentiful throughout the month in this net, but 

 few large examples were observed, the average of the large forms obtained 

 being from 1 to 1 \ inches. They seemed to swim in mid- water, or at least to 

 avoid the surface and bottom, for none entered either surface- or bottom- 

 nets. Pleurobrachia was very abundant, often in myriads. Almost all the 

 examples were small, ranging from -J to -J an inch. Such collections were 

 in striking contrast, in regard to size, with those obtained at other seasons, 

 e.g., in mid-winter, the great size and beauty of the species at that season 

 being noteworthy. 



HydromedusEe were rare in the surface-net in September, a few ripe 

 examples of Thaumantias hemisphcerica and a few unknown gonozoids 

 being the only representatives. 



A few Pleurobrachice were generally obtained — chiefly small examples 

 from J to \ inch. Moreover, many ova of this species, some with 

 embryos far advanced, and a few other ova were captured at the 

 surface. 



In the bottom-net only a few specimens of Tliaumantias hemispheerica 

 were seen during September, along with a few minute Medusa-buds. 

 Larval Pleurobrachice and young forms from J to \ an inch were also 

 obtained. Ova of the same species in various stages of development 

 were also not uncommon. 



The larval Echinoderms were somewhat less numerous than in August, 

 but they still occurred in almost every haul of the surface- and bottom-net, 

 accompanied by a few young brittle-stars. One of the Plutei procured in 

 the beginning of the month presented unusually broad lobes or processes. 

 Though in diminished numbers, therefore, the larval star-fishes still 

 formed an important factor in the nourishment of the young food-fishes. 



In the surface-net small Appendicularians were captured from the begin- 

 ning to the end of September, and sometimes they were numerous. Their 

 size corresponded with those procured in the mid-water and bottom nets, 

 and were in contrast with the large examples which abounded in spring. 

 Some of the Appendicularians were minute. On the whole, they appeared 

 most frequently in the surface-net, the bottom-net being next, and, lastly, 

 only three times in the mid-water net. Cyphonautes, as in August, was 

 characteristic of the surface- and bottom-nets, and was most numerous in 

 the latter. None were obtained in the mid-water nets. It was absent on 

 few occasions, and thus has a wide range in time during the year just as its 

 geographical range is extensive. The examples seemed to increase little 

 beyond a certain limit. Actinotrocha occurred once in the mid-water net, 



* Report Brit. Assoc., 1886, p. 710. 



