1 13 
eggs are rather small, ca. 0,25 mm, and the ovarial membrane is 
studded with those remarkable double anchors characteristic of 
Ophiomyxa (Fig. 5.1-2); the bursal wall is full of small bone-shaped 
calcareous bodies (Fig. 5.3). In O. brevirima these latter bodies 
are much smaller (Fig. 5.4), the double anchors much fewer in 
number, and the eggs much larger, 0 , 5-6 mm. The latter faet 
indicates that probably a considerable biological difference exists 
between the two species. Nothing is known about the develop- 
ment of O. australis, but the relatively small size of the eggs 
lends support to the suggestion that it is not viviparous, whereas 
O. brevirima is viviparous. In one specimen from Lyttelton har- 
bour I find one fairly large young one in each of two bursæ. 
Another specimen, from Cook Strait, collected by Mr. W. R B. 
Oliver (as was also the specimen from Lyttelton) likewise con- 
tains young ones in its bursæ; but here conditions are quite 
dilferent. All the bursæ are here completely filled up with em¬ 
bryos, most of them in nearly the same stage of development, 
with 2—3 armjoints developed, only very few being in a younger 
stage. They lie so closely packed that they are partly quite 
irregularly compressed. I have counted no less than 120 embryos 
in one bursa. They are of a bright orange colour, on account 
of the content of yolk in the eggs. — The difference between the 
two said specimens, one having the bursæ quite filled with em¬ 
bryos, the other having only one in each bursa, is so remarkable 
that the suggestion lies at hånd that they may represent two dif- 
ferent species, the more so as the two specimens are quite dif- 
ferent in colour, one being of a uniform grayish-brown, the other 
(the one with the many embryos) greenish with white bands on 
the arms and irregular white spots on the disk. This white colour 
is due to closely packed heaps of exceedingly minute, lenticular 
calcareous grains (Fig. 5.5). (Such grains are also found in the skin 
of the not banded or spotted specimens, only much less numer- 
ous, scattered, not in dense heaps). I am, however, unable to 
find any other difference. Accordingly, it would appear that we 
have to do with only one species, and the difference in regard to 
the embryos contained in the bursæ may then perhaps be due to 
one of them having discharged its brood, with the exception only 
of a few of them, which have remained in the bursæ a little longer. 
Vidensk. Medd. fra Dansk naturh Foren. Ud. 77. 8 
