ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
727 
considered that they ought to bo separated from Eckstein’s genus 
Distyla. And the distinction is plain enough : in Cathypna the whole 
trunk is loricated, and the creature, when extended, is dorsally arched ; 
but in Distyla only the hinder portion of the trunk is loricated, the fore 
part having a membranous covering, and the creature when extended is 
comparatively flat, or, as it is termed, “ depressed.” 
What Mr. Lord’s species really are, or whether they are new, it is 
impossible to say from his imperfect figures and description ; but it is 
easy to see how little competent he is to be a critic of the veteran 
naturalist, by turning to the Supplement of the ‘ Rotifera,’ and com- 
paring Mr. Gosse’s last descriptions and drawings (done only a short 
time before his death) with those of Mr. Lord’s in * Science-Gossip,’ 
remembering at the same time that Mr. Gosse’s descriptions and drawings, 
in the Supplement, are of those very species which Mr. Lord says were 
hurriedly observed, and executed with “ failing powers — of eyesight at 
least.” 
It is hardly necessary to point out the lack of taste and good feeling 
which leads Mr. Lord to quote scraps from the deceased Mr. Gosse’s 
private letters, in order to help out an adverse criticism on his last 
work. 
Ccelenterata. 
Pelagic Anthozoa.* — Prof. E. van Beneden gives a preliminary 
notice of the results of his studies of the pelagic Anthozoa collected by 
Prof. Hensen. All were larval forms, and most belonged to the 
Cerianthidse. From the abundance and variety of the pelagic larvte it 
seems probable that the group is represented by very diverse forms at 
great depths ; this fact is interesting, as the Cerianthidae are very 
probably allied to the Rugosa. The special form to which the author 
calls attention is one which brings to mind the well-known larva of 
Semper ; this form has never yet been subjected to a microscopic 
examination. The general form of the larva is pyriform, and the oral 
orifice is placed at the narrow end ; the axis is that of the letter C, but 
it is probable that this shape is due to the action of the preservative fluid. 
The whole surface of the body is strongly pigmented, with the exception of 
a median band on the ventral surface ; in the middle of this band there 
is a shallow groove. On the ventral surface there is a vibratile fringe, 
similar to that seen by Semper in his larva, and the cause of the 
marvellous iridizations which distinguish the creature. There is no 
trace of any tentacles around the mouth, and there does not appear to 
be any second oritice. Bilateral symmetry is obvious. 
While in all known larvae of Anthozoa the ectoderm has the same 
character all over the body, there is in this new form a sharply dif- 
ferentiated portion, which may be called the flagelliferous plate ; the 
cells of which it is composed are exceedingly narrow and filiform, but 
there are never in it any glandular cells or any nematocysts ; each of 
the flagellate cells has at its free end a small brilliant plate, which 
carries the flagellum. The cells are so disposed that the plate seems to 
form, at right and left, two pads which may be compared to those seen 
in the medullary plate of certain Vertebrates ; in its centre is a widely 
* Bull. Acad. Roy. Belg., lx. (1890) pp. 55-99 (1 pi.). 
