REPORT ON THE POLYZOA. 
155 
7. Mucronella, Ilincks. 
Berenicea (pars), Fleming. 
Lepralia (pars), Jolmst., Bk. ; &c. 
Escliarella, Gray (sp.), Smitt. 
Discojpora (pars), Smitt, Gray. 
Mucronella, Hincks, Brit. Mar. Polyz. 
Eschara (sp.), Bk. 
Character . — Zoarium erect and bi- or uni-laminar ; or crustaceous and unattached ; 
or adnate. Orifice mucronate in front. 
(a) Bilaminar (escharan). 
(l) Mucronella contorta, Busk (PI. XX. fig. 9). 
Eschara contorta, Bk., Brit. Mus. Cat. I. p. 89, pi. cviii. figs. 1, 2, 3. 
Character .- — Zoarium thick, lobate, undulate. Zocecia almost hemispherical in front, 
surface closely and widely punctate. Mouth orbicular, lower border mucronate. On 
many of the zocecia an avicularium with a duck-bill shaped mandible on one or both sides 
of the orifice, and sometimes a small one quite within its border on one side. 
Habitat. — Simon’s Bay, Cape of Good Hope. 
[Algoa Bay ; Natal.] 
The internal avicularium varies a good deal in size ; it was overlooked when the 
description of the species in the Brit. Mus. Cat. was drawn up, and is not always present 
nor visible. 
(2) Mucronella pyriformis, n. sp. (PI. XX. fig. 5). 
Character . — Zoarium of small size, lobate. Zocecia pyriform, immersed but separated 
by deep sulci. On the front a thick rounded elevated ridge surrounds the orifice, and 
the two sides joining, is continued as a tumid elevation to the bottom. Mouth suborbi- 
cular, apiculate in front, with a wide rounded internal denticle ; no frontal avicularium. 
Habitat . — Station 161, off Port Philip, 33 fathoms, sand. 
The above characters are only exhibited distinctly in the younger parts of the zoarium. 
In most parts the zocecia are much overgrown so that the surface becomes almost level, 
the rounded orifices with the thickened annular peristome slightly projecting. And in 
this state the small apiculate mucro is altogether wanting. Sometimes the zooecia 
assume a more or less ovate form. The species is very doubtfully referred to Mucronella. 
