T H E T A S M A NIA N N ATU R A1.1ST. 
S* 
In general appearance somewhat as in pictus , but with longer and 
thinner antennas, second fascia different, and denser and finer punctures 
on elytra. 
The elytral fasciae on the type and most of the other specimens are 
dark brown, the first is at about the basal third, and slightly curved on 
each elytron, with the hinder margin convex; the second at about the 
apical third, and from the suture is directed forward so as to be V-shaped, 
from the apices of the V it is then directed to the sides, with a slight 
backward trend; from some directions it appears in consequence as a 
rather feeble M. But on some specimens the first is connected with the 
second along middle of disc on each elytron, whilst on a single specimen 
it is almost absent. 
Only one living specimen was taken in the caves, and that at a 
considerable distance from the entrance and near a cluster of ‘glow¬ 
worms ’; but numerous dead ones were seen close to the entrance. 
These specimens unfortunately were put in a very small tube of spirits, 
and in the jolting that occurred before they were mounted, lost all their 
legs and antennae, and the pubescence was nearly all abraded, leaving 
the punctures clearly exposed. On the specimen taken living, the punc¬ 
tures are much less conspicuous on account of being partially concealed 
by the pubescence, but even on the abraded specimens they appear con¬ 
siderably smaller than in pictus . 
I2oU on an 4 Hmpbioxus * from South-eastern 
Tasmania. 
By T. THOMSON FLYNN, U.Sc. 
A SOLITARY specimen of ‘ Amphioxus’ was dredged in the recent 
. trip of the Field Naturalists’ Club to the East Coast of Tasmania. 
It was found in clean sand, dredged in 15 fathoms, on the inner side of 
Schouten’s Island. The specimen, considerably damaged, has been 
handed to me for possible identification, and if necessary, description, by 
no means an easy task in view of the mutilation of the specimen, and 
the fact that it must not be sectioned. Nevertheless, I am able with 
tolerable certainty to recognise it as Asymmetron bassanum which is 
found in from 15 to 20 fathoms of water round the coast of Victoria. 
There has been a little uncertainty as to the place of this little animal in 
classification, definitely set at rest lately by Misses Morris and Raff, of 
Melbourne At one time it was named Branchiostoma bassanum ; later, 
by Miss Kirkaldy it was re-named Heteropleuron bassanum; still more 
recently, it was placed in the genus where it still remains as Asymmetron 
bassanum, although its exact position in that genus was not defined till 
last year This is, I believe, the first record of the genus from Southern 
Tasmanian waters. 
