The Secretary read a short communication—"Note on a new example of the Phyllodocidæ (Anaitis rosea)," by Dr. W.C. McIntosh. This marine worm was obtained at St. Andrew's last autumn, at the margin of low water, and sunk several inches in the fine sand. In the genus Anaitis the buccal segment carries the first three pairs of tentacular cirri, the fourth being on the segment behind. A. rosea measures about one inch and a half long, the body being relatively broad to its length; the snout is blunt, and the eyes small and circular. The head and tentacles are pale, but in front of the eyes, and partly along segments behind, are roseate bands and speckles, continuing backwards in a bright yellow band, thus resembling certain of the Nemerteans.
The Secretary likewise read a paper "On certain New Forms of Actinaria dredged in the Deep Sea from on board H.M.S. 'Challenger'; with a Description also of certain Pelagic Surface-swimming Species," by H.N. Moseley, M.A., late Naturalist to the Government Circumnavigating Expedition. A small part only of what were obtained are accounted for in the present paper, occasional rough weather and other circumstances often preventing immediate attention and descriptions of the animals while fresh. Those now delineated and described are as follows:—
Family Actiniidæ. Subfam. Minyadinæ—(1) Nautactis purpureus n. sp.; (2) Larval minyad; (3) Oceanactis rhododactylis, n. gen. Subfam. Actininæ—(1) Actinia abyssicola, n. sp.; (2) A. gelatinosa; (3) Edwardsia coriacea, n. sp.; (4) Corallimorphus profundus, n.gen.; (5) C.rigidus, n.sp.
Family Cerianthidæ—(]) Cerianthus bathymetricus, n.sp.
The occurrence in the deep sea of representatives of shallow water forms of sea anemones is of high interest. For example, the above species of Edwardsia from 600 fathoms has undergone but a trifling modification from the littoral form. The Cerianthus from 2750 is dwarfed, but uncommonly like its shore brethren; moreover, under the full glare of the tropical sun in shallow water at the Philippines, one kind is found, another species of the same genus existing at three miles depth, where solar rays do not penetrate, and the water is at freezing-point. The fact of the deep sea anemones retaining vivid colouring in their dark watery abode is a point of special value connected with other generalizations. The genus Corallimorphus possesses interest as being a near ally to certain of the simple discoid corals, and it has besides the largest nematocysts yet recorded.
An extract from a letter from Mr. R.D. Fitzgerald, of Sydney, New South Wales, relative to the Marsupial Pouch, was briefly adverted to.
Two botanical papers were read;—"On the Rootstock of Marattia fraxinea, Sm.," by John Buchanan; and "On Algæ collected by Dr. I. Bailey Balfour at Rodriguez during the Transit of Venus Expedition, 1874," by Professor Dickie.
