500 ALCYONIDIID.^. 



themselves into their new sphere of heing. As the sun- 

 light fell upon the cilia, they were tinted with a most 

 lovely violet colour. As soon as they have effected their 

 escape, the larvje begin to move with great activity through 

 the water*. 



Alcyonidium albidum. Alder. 



Plate LXX. figs. 8-12. 



Alcyonidium albidtji, Aldrr, North. & Diu-li. Cat., Trans. Tynes. Nat. F. 



C. r.4 (sep.), pi. V. figs. 5, 6. 

 Alcyonidium hirsutu.m, 2. y, forma inerustans, Smitt, loe. cit. 497 and 511. 



Zoarium incrustmg, semitransparent, yellowish white. 

 Zooecia distinct, ventricose, not closely united, flask - 

 shaped, recumbent below, suberect towards the oral 

 extremity. 



Polypide with 18 tentacles. 



Habitat. On Algae, zoophyte-stems &c., shallow to deep 

 water. 



Localities. Northumberland, on Hydralbnania fal- 

 cata from the deep-water fishing-boats (Alder) : Ilfracombe, 

 not uncommon (Leipner) : Shetland (T. II.). 



Geographical Distribution. Spitzbergen, 30 fathoms 

 (Malmgren, teste Smitt). 



The most striking feature of tliis species is the more 

 or less disconnected condition of the cells. In the 

 younger portions of the colony they are often completely 

 separated, and present the appearance of distinct flask- 

 shaped bodies united by a common crust (Plate LXX. 

 fig. 8). In this state they are readily detached from 



* See a paper by the author iu the Quart. Joiirn. Micr. So. vol. v. p. 17(). 



