Observations on British Zoophytes, 
439 
Body, octangular ; fins, pectoral, anal, and caudal, awanting. 
Length of fish, 19f inches ; length of head, 1 J inch ; point 
of snout to orbit, J inch ; front of orbit to extremity of oper- 
culum, f inch ; length from snout to anus, 9J inches ; from 
anus to point of tail, lOJ- inches ; from snout to first dorsal 
fin ray, 7^ inches ; length of dorsal fin, 2f inches ; from last 
ray of dorsal fin to point of tail, 9| inches. The posterior 
termination of the dorsal fin is therefore nearly in the middle 
of the fish. 
. The body consists of twenty-nine rings or divisions, the 
anus being in the twenty-ninth ; the tail of about sixty. 
No depressions were observed on the abdomen, — probably a 
female. Dorsal fin, of thirty-nine rays, resting on nine rings 
of body and two of tail [21st to 31st inclusive] ; anus under 
twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth rays of fin. (For descrip- 
tions of other specimens, see pp. 290 and 291). 
Professor Fleming, in his "British Animals," described 
this fish as rare, and called attention to the fact of its being 
" obviously pointed out by Sibbald, as an inhabitant of the 
Firth of Forth/' in 1684. Yarrell also states that examples 
of this species are rare. 
VI. Observations on British Zoophytes. (1.) Vorticlava Proteus. (2.) 
Trichydra pudica. (3 ) On the Development of Pycnogon Larv(E 
within the Polyps 0/ Hydractinia. By T. Strethill Wright, M.D. 
(1.) Vorticlava Proteus. (Plate XVII.) 
Scleroderm absent. Colletoderm covering body of polyp. 
Upper row of tentacles capitate 5 ; lower row 9. 
Several specimens of this zoophyte were found in the 
" Fluke Hole," Firth of Forth. The body of the polyp is 
exceedingly extensible. At one time a mere button at- 
tached to the stone on which it dwells ; at another it trans- 
forms itself into the various shapes shown in the accom- 
panying figures. A hard covering to the body would neces- 
sarily prevent or impede these motions. The scleroderm, 
therefore, is absent, and the whole body of the polyp is 
covered with a layer of transparent " colline," which ex- 
tends from the foot, where it forms a thick mass, to a ridge 
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