ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
729 
length of the fringe, which is shorter in the new larva, the absence in it 
of an aboral orifice, and the apparent differences in the characters of the 
nematocysts. After a careful review of the different possible groups 
with which this larva may be associated, the author concludes that it 
should be placed with the Zoanthinse. These he regards as an indepen- 
dent branch, and cannot accept the recent views which would derive them 
from the Edwardsiae. His opinions as to the affinities of some of the 
Anthozoa are shown in the following table : — 
Zoantliinte. Edwardsiae. 
Paractiniae. 
Habits of Virgularia.* — Mr. E. Thurston, referring to recent doubts 
as to the truth of the statements that Virgularise stand up vertically with 
their bulb planted in the mud, and that they are able to pull themselves 
in with force, so as to nearly or quite disappear, draws attention to the 
statement made by his native diver. “ The diver described the animals 
as sticking straight up in the sand, and said that, as soon as he touched 
them, they went deeper and deeper down in the sand, and sometimes 
fixed themselves so firmly that he could only secure them by digging 
them out with a spade.” 
Septal Budding in Recent Madrepores.y — Herr G. v. Koch 
corrects a passage in Neumayr’s ‘ Stamme des Thierreichs ’ in which it 
is implied that septal budding does not occur in recent Hexacorallia. 
This mode of multiplication does still occur, especially in Astraeae. It 
is illustrated by v. Koch in the case of Favia , and referred to as 
occurring in Stauria. 
Symmetry of Hydroid-Colonies.J — Dr. H. Driesch continues his 
studies on the arrangement of the “ persons ” in hydroid colonies, dis- 
cussing Plumularia , Aglaojphenia , and the Tubulariidae. After arranging 
various Plumularians in a series according to their mode of ramification, 
he discusses the morphological value of the nematophores, and from his 
own point of view decides against their ranking as persons. From a 
technical study of Tubularians, he passes to some general notes on what 
he calls “ comparative blastology ” or the comparison of persons, and on 
the bearing of these studies in ramification on morphological problems. 
■Development of Hydra.§ — Dr. A. Brauer has a preliminary notice 
of his studies in the development of Hydra aurantiaca. He finds that 
* Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1890, pp. 462-3. 
t Morph ol. Jahrb., xvi. (1890) pp. 534-6 (4 figs.). 
j Jenaische Zeitschr. f. Naturwiss., xxiv. (1890) pp. 657-88 (6 figs.). 
§ Zool. Anzeig., xiii. (1890) p. 457. 
