102 ATRACTYLHXE. 



G. NUTANS, T. S. Wright. 



GARVEIA NUTANS, Wright, Ed. N. P. Journ. (N. S.) for July 1859, 109, 

 pi. viii. fig. 5. 



ECDENDRIUM (CoRYTHAMNIUM) BACCIFEBUM, Allman, Notes OH Hydr. ZoOpll., 



Ann. N. H. for July 1859. 



Plate XIV. fig. 4. 



ZOOPHYTE about an inch in height, irregularly branched; 

 MAIN STEM composed of a few aggregated tubes, becoming 

 gradually attenuated as it gives off its branches, and at 

 last consisting of a simple tube; branches slender, slightly 

 wrinkled, often bent abruptly a little behind the termi- 

 nal polypite, expanding at the extremity into a delicate 

 funnel-shaped cup; POLYPITES fusiform, the body red, 

 with about 10 thick, orange tentacles ; GONOPHORES 

 remarkably large, oval, each borne on a long peduncle, 

 which issues from the summit of a short ramulus, ova 

 of a deep orange-colour. 



IN its perfect state the main stem of this zoophyte is com- 

 posed of a bundle of delicate tubes, agglutinated together, 

 which diverge at intervals so as to form branches, until at 

 length, towards the extremity, it has dwindled down to a 

 single tube. The polypary is wrinkled transversely (at 

 times almost annulated) throughout. It expands at the 

 extremity of the branches into a cup, which is exceedingly 

 delicate and merely covers the base of the polypite. 



The polypites are small and chiefly remarkable for their 

 brilliant colours, the body being red, according to Wright, 

 and the tentacles yellow. The prevailing colour of the 

 zoophyte seems to be orange. Dr. Wright has remarked 

 that, "when irritated, the zoophyte bends all its polyps 

 downwards, like flowers drooping on their stalks " a cir- 

 cumstance that has suggested the specific name. 



The ramules that support the reproductive bodies dilate 

 at their extremities, like the polypiferous branches, into a 



