208 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
first indication that this genus is found in deep waters. The plates 
deserve a special word of praise. 
Ccelentera. 
Octineon Lindahli.* — Dr. G. H. Fowler gives an account of a re- 
markable Anthozoon, the investigation of which by Dr. Carpenter and 
by Prof. Moseley was, in each case, stopped by death. The only known 
specimens were dredged by the ‘ Porcupine * in 1870, not far from Cape 
St. Vincent, in 364 fathoms. 
The whole exterior is densely covered by particles of micaceous sand, 
Foraminifera, and sponge-spicules, and dissection was a matter of diffi- 
culty. Notwithstanding its Zoanthid habit of forming a sandy incrusta- 
tion, Ootineon is a Hexactinian, for it has twelve primary mesenteries, 
but of these only eight carry the extraordinarily powerful retractor 
muscles, and these are arranged in the manner characteristic of the 
Edwardsiae. We have, then, here an Actinarian with the characteristic 
habit of a Zoanthid, the twelve mesenteries of a Hexactinian, and the 
eight muscles of an Edwardsia. 
The structure of the retractor muscles is so unlike that known in 
any other Anthozoon, that a new family — Octineonidae — characterized 
by a specialization of the retractor muscle-fibres into a muscle separate, 
or nearly so, from the mesentery, must be established. 
The author proceeds to criticize the phylogenetic views of Boveri 
and M‘Murrich, both of which regard the Edwardsiae as the modern 
representatives of the starting point from which all existing groups of 
Anthozoa have been derived ; it is pointed out that there are three 
possible lines of descent, though it is allowed that it is almost impossible 
to deny that an eight-rayed ancestor is common to the several groups of 
the Anthozoa. The Alcyonaria and Edwardsiae are permanently eight- 
rayed, while the Madreporaria, Hexactiniae, and Ceriantheae all pass 
through an eight-rayed stage; this arrangement may be reasonably 
derived from a four-rayed condition. Indeed, the evolution of a 
Scyphostomoid ancestor into the Lucernariae, the Anthozoa, and the 
Scyphomedusae is very generally accepted. 
It is easy to conceive that, the mesenteries having the threefold 
function of carrying digestive, reproductive and muscle-cells, a special 
localization of digestive cells on ridges would lead to a concentration of 
reproductive cells in their neighbourhood for better nutrition ; while 
the general musculature of the body-wall, probably both at first circular 
and longitudinal, might, when carried out along the ridge, become 
specialized on one side into retractor (longitudinal), and on the other 
side into protractor (circular) muscles. 
The suggestion must be borne in mind that it is possible that the 
group Hexactiniae as now constituted includes ten or more groups, not 
clearly distinguishable in the present state of our knowledge. 
Irish Hydroida.f — Mr. J. E. Duerden enumerates forty-six species, 
of which fourteen are new to Ireland and some are rare. Among these 
may be mentioned the Atractilidae, five species of these minute forms 
* Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., xxxv. (1894) pp. 461-80 (2 pis.). 
+ Proc. R. Irish Acad., iii. (1893) pp. 137-50. 
