In September last, I found on Inch Garvie the beautiful large Coryne which I place on the table this evening; one of the polyps being shown at Plate III., fig. 6.

2. Coryne (margarica, mihi) implexa (Alder).

Corallum branched or creeping; composed of two coats, the inner coat horny, annulated at intervals; the outer coat membranous, smooth, longitudinally folded near the polyps. Body of the polyp cylindrical, much elongated; summit truncated, very transparent, of a pearly white colour; mouth surrounded by a dense white ring. Tentacles small and slender, very numerous. Thread-cells on tentacles oval, barbed; on the body of polyp, long, cylindrical. Both kinds of thread-cells within the corallum.

This zoophyte, as to its polypary, bears a close resemblance to the Tubularia implexa of Alder, and I have little doubt is identical with it; in which case Tubularia implexa is, as I suspected, a Coryne. It has the same double structure in the tube of the corallum, and the thread-cells, both in form and size, are identical. The polyp of the species is distinguished from all others of its genus which have come under my notice by the extreme transparency of its tissues, and the small size of its tentacles; in which last particular it resembles the Coryne pelagica of Alder, and even approaches Myriothela artica. The thread-cells on the tip of the capitate tentacle are of very small size, as in Myriothela, with the exception of one, or sometimes two, of the large cells which are found in the same situation in other species of Coryne.

3. Bimeria vestita. (Plate II., fig. 4.)

Polypary minute, very slender, branched, smooth, or wrinkled near the diviion of the branches, enclosed in a transparent horny corallum; polyps vasehaped, destitute of proboscis; tentacles slender, alternate, as in Eudendrium; corallum, body, mouth, and lower half of each of tentacles of polyp clothed in an opaque brown membrane; thread-cells inconspicuous.

This remarkable zoophyte first occurred to me on the Bimer Rock, near North Queensferry, in August last, and afterwards to Dr M'Bain and myself on Inch Garvie. It differs from all zoophytes hitherto described in being completely clothed—as the corallum, the bodies of its polyps, and part of their tentacles-in a thick, soft membrane, which appears to be formed

of the glutinous "colletoderm" thickened by fine mud. The tentacles were frequently united together in pairs by the same substance. The unclothed half only of the tentacles was furnished with thread-cells. The bodies and clothed part of the tentacles were frequently studded with minute crimson Alga (fig. 4, a), which in some cases almost concealed the polyps, but did not seem to exercise any deleterious influence on their health.

The male reproductive apparatus consisted of an ovate pedicled ectodermal sac (fig. 4, b), inclosing a linear unbranched process of the endoderm, as in Hydractinia, the whole enclosed by the horny corallum with its muddy covering. The female reproductive system was not discovered.

Polypary enclosed in smooth or slightly-wrinkled corallum, creeping or forming a stem of many agglutinated tubes from which the polyp stems diverge as branches; polyps not retractile within the corallum, decumbent when contracted; tentacles about ten, thick, in a single row, not alternate; mouth not trumpet-shaped; colour of polyp vermilion and yellow; thread-cells inconspicuous.

This zoophyte, which occurs on Inch Garvie, is conspicuous for the singular colour of its polyps; the ectoderm being of a fine transparent yellow, the endoderm vermilion. Consequently the tentacles are yellow, while the body of the polyp is red. When irritated, as by being removed from the water and re-immersed, the zoophyte bends all its polyps downwards, like flowers drooping on their stalks.

The reproductive capsules (female), which I have only seen in a specimen after immersion in spirits, arise from the creeping polypary or the compound stem, and resemble in their external characters the female capsule of Eudendrium rameum.

This zoophyte was at first mistaken by me for an Eudendrium, but it differs from the latter genus in the following particulars:-In Garveia the body of the polyp is fusiform; in Eudendrium globular, with a trumpet-shaped expansible proboscis. In Garveia the tentacles are arranged in a single row; in Eudendrium also in a single row, but each alternate tentacle is elevated or depressed, so that they appear to be dis

posed in two rows. In Eudendrium the body of the polyp is studded by very large thread-cells; in Garveia these threadcells are absent.

V. On some Peculiar Forms of Spines on two Species of Star-Fishes (Gen. Ophiocoma). (Drawings were exhibited.) By CHARLES W. PEACH, Esq., Wick.

During my residence at Peterhead, I met with a very delicate Ophiocoma,--probably O. neglecta,-which I was very desirous of naming. For this purpose I placed it alive in sea-water under the microscope, and found that one of the spines had a notch of some width running down the whole length of it; this, I thought, had been caused by accident. On farther examination, I found that each lower spine had a similar opening;-the edges of the openings serrated, the whole covered with short pointed protuberances. I also saw the pinnated cirrhus protruded, as at A, fig. 1, of the sketch exhibited. Not finding this notch mentioned by Forbes, or any other writer on star-fishes, I have been led to examine others, and have been rewarded by finding on the brittle star, Ophiocoma rosula of Forbes, in addition to the "beautiful long tapering rough spine," which, he said, "might serve as a model for the spire of a cathedral," on the under side of each row a jaw-like hooked one furnished with teeth (sketch No. 2); they are transparent, and formed of the same material as the other spines. These jaw-like spines extend the whole length of the rays, and are arranged (as at fig. 2, where the tip and two of the under sides of the ray-plates are represented) with the spines and cirrhi. Two of the straight spines of each group have also hooks on their tips, directed, as are the teeth of the jaw-like ones, towards the disk. No. 3 is a side-view of a jaw-like spine. I have seen these jaw-like spines on specimens in all stages of growth, some not one-fourth of an inch over. There are many other things as well as these spines that I might call your attention to, would time permit. When describing Ophiocoma Goodsiri, Forbes mentions "difficulties connected with the tracing of the connection between species and species;" and though he found in O. Goodsiri a beautiful link between the scaly and plated brittle stars," he farther says, Before I saw this species, I had some doubts as to the propriety of retaining these two variations of character in the one genus, and suspected that Ophiocoma rosula might be the type of a separate group.” Had he seen these jawlike spines, he would, I think, have separated it, especially as at page 20 he farther says," the sources of specific character are derived from the spines of the body and arms." In his work, the only hooked spines mentioned are those found on Comatula rosacea, and the pick-like one on Ophiocoma filiformis. Dr Carpenter, in his work, "The Microscope and its Revelations," at page 559, gives a sketch of the hooked spine of the Euryale; and now, in all probability, the true connection between it and Ophiocoma rosula will be better seen. These observations were made on specimens found at Peterhead and Wick, N.B. I have since had Ophiocoma rosula from Mr King of Torquay, Devonshire. Dr Dickie of Belfast has also kindly sent me it from Ireland. All show

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the hooked spine, and other characters, as those from Scotland. Dr Dickie added to his kindness by forwarding part of an arm, marked Ophiocoma minuta, by the late Mr Thompson, and which formed part of that lamented gentleman's collection, and on this I find similar hooked spines of both sorts; and if this (O. minuta) is a good species, I have several specimens from Peterhead and Wick, and thus have another addition to our list. Should Ophiocoma rosula be found without these jaw-like spines, the one now described will be, if nothing else, a new species. The following reasons have induced me to lay these imperfect observations before you-First, to ask those who have time and opportunity, and are placed in good localities, to work out the history of these spinigrade animals; for we want, in addition to the beautiful figures given by the lamented Forbes, each species figured with dissected sections of spines, body, and ray plates, &c. These new characters may lead to other discoveries, and a standard be arrived at by which genera and species may be satisfactorily made out much better than at present. Second, When I had the pleasure of accompanying Sir Roderick Murchison, the past summer, on his geological tour, he told me that some one had figured and described certain minute fossils found in Silurian rocks as jaws of animals, and which he (Sir Roderick) thought were portions of starfishes. I sketched one of the jaw-like forms I had met with in Ophiocoma rosula-this, he thought, resembled in some measure the supposed jaws taken from the Silurian rocks. Should this be the case, by giving publicity to this discovery I hope to do good both to Zoology and Geology.

VI. Notice of the UKPAм, a large species (probably new) of Sting Ray (Trygon, Cuv.), found in the Old Calabar River, Africa. (Two young specimens were exhibited.) By JOHN ALEXANDER SMITH, M.D.

The Ukpam is the native African name of a species of Ray which is found in the rivers of Old Calabar, on the west coast of tropical Africa. This fish appears to grow to a great size, and specimens have been taken which measured 4 feet across, and about the same length from the snout to the insertion of the tail, and 10 feet in length to the point of the tail. A full-grown individual is described as being quite a heavy enough load for four men to carry from the river side. It occurs in considerable abundance in the Old Calabar River, and is much sought after by the natives, who consider its flesh as a great delicacy, and capture the fish by striking it through with a barbed spear, while lying partially concealed in the sand or mud in the bed of the river. It has been taken near the bar, at the mouth of the river, where the water of course is salt, and also up the river as high as Uwet and

Umon, which are about 150 miles from the bar, and where, although the river still rises and falls with the tide, from there being always a strong downward current, the water is perfectly fresh, and never even brackish. The two young specimens now on the table were sent home some time since by Mr Archibald Hewan, surgeon to the Old Calabar Mission of the United Presbyterian Church, to the members of which mission. the Society has been again and again indebted for various interesting additions to the knowledge of the zoology of Western Africa. The natives have a curious theory that these young fish, somewhat after the manner of the young of the marsupial animals, take shelter in the maternal organs, which they leave or enter at pleasure, until they are old enough and strong enough to take care of their personal safety. Mr Hewan, however, says that one of the natives, who prides himself on his skill in capturing this rather formidable creature, denies this statement altogether; so that, probably the pain of being struck through with a spear at its capture, causing in some instances the expulsion of the nearly mature young, may have given rise to this idea (should it turn out to be false); which, however, is generally believed among the natives. Mr. Hewan has promised to give some attention to the subject, so that we may hope to be favoured with more information before long.

The specimens exhibited, Mr Hewan says, are very young. He was asked to go down to the river side, where a native had in his canoe a large male and female Ukpam he had just captured. These fishes measured about 4 feet across; and while Mr Hewan was standing near the canoe, "the native was searching the body of the female, because he did not see the young ones (the specimens now exhibited) in the canoe where he had left them. He had not searched the canoe thoroughly, and so, not finding them in the oviduct, he repeated his search in the canoe, and there they were lying. His searching the body was strong presumptive evidence that he had found them there before; but that they returned there seems only a theory, unless the native's word be taken." Mr Hewan states these fish were alive and active when he got them; and, as far as we can judge by their appearance, they

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