other I have not been able to identify with the British members of Gymnochroa.”^*

In 1879 Mr. A. Hamilton,^† in a paper on fresh-water Polyzoa, incidentally mentioned the occurrence in a swamp near Napier of “a large reddish-brown Hydra.” The next record is by Farquhar,^‡ who, in 1896, published a catalogued list of the New Zealand Hydroida. In his list he mentions only one Hydra—i.e., the one which Coughtrey had described as above. Unfortunately, he calls it H. viridis, evidently misreading Coughtrey's description. Under this name it appears in the “Index Faunae Novae-Zealandiae.”^§

In 1910 Dr. W. B. Benham^∥ published a note on “A Species of Hydra new to New Zealand,” which was found in the Shag Valley, and which, he said, was characterized by a rich reddish-brown, almost mahogany, colour, and by the great size (up to 15 mm.). He also refers to a small brown species found near Dunedin, probably the same as the one mentioned by Coughtrey.

In addition to the published facts referred to above, Dr. Hilgendorf, Professor Thomas, Professor Kirk, and Dr. Chilton have kindly contributed information as to the occurrence of species of Hydra in New Zealand.

Dr. Hilgendorf has seen a small brown form which occurs in ponds at Woodhaugh, near Dunedin. This is probably the same as the brown species of Coughtrey and Benham.

Professor Kirk writes that there appear to be two kinds in Wellington, one a dark-brown form, and the other a light-brown one. Professor Thomas says that Hydra appears to be widely distributed about Auckland, and notes the occurrence of the following: (1) a brownish or yellowish-brown form; (2) a form of a colour to suggest orange; (3) a nearly colourless form; (4) a green species. He considers (1) to be the form commonly called H. fusca, and (2) and (3) to be colour-varieties of it. The forms noted by Professor Kirk and Dr. Hilgendorf probably belong to this species also.

In 1885 Dr. Chilton in his manuscript note-book recorded the appearance of a Hydra in Christchurch. The animal observed was light brown in colour, and appeared to him to be the same as the form commonly known as H. fusca.

Specimens of a brown Hydra have, for several years past, been obtained in moderate numbers from the River Avon, for use in the biological laboratory at Canterbury College, though until lately no green ones were seen. But in April of this year, while searching for Hydra in water from the River Avon, several green specimens were discovered. These forms agree exactly, in the characters that can be observed, with the descriptions given of H. viridis. The gonads, however, have not been seen.

According to Hickson,^¶ three species of Hydra are known in England —viz., H. viridis Linn., H. oligactis Pall. (= H. fusca Linn.), H. vulgaris Pall. Hickson gives a short description of each of these species.

A comparison of the forms found in New Zealand with these and other descriptions shows that the green species observed in Christchurch is certainly H. viridis, and the green form noted by Professor Thomas at Auckland probably must be placed here also. It seems likely that the Shag Valley