HALCYONELLEA : SARCOCHITUM, 365 



stance, but this opinion was disproved by the application of hydro- 

 chloric acid, which did not cause effervescence. These bodies are 

 far more numerous than the ova, and are not more than one-tenth 

 their size. The most probable conjecture which I have been able 

 to form as to their nature is, that thev are organs destined to con- 

 tain the ova until they have arrived at a certain degree of maturity, 

 in fact, ovaries, and if not ovaries, the ova themselves in a very 

 early stage of their formation. 



" I have been induced to raise this species to a generic rank, prin- 

 cipally from the arrangement of the ova in circles, which is, T be- 

 lieve, peculiar to it. Some weeks ago, when at Belfast, Mr. Thomp- 

 son pointed out this species to my notice, saying, at the same time, 

 that he had forwarded it long since to Dr. Johnston as new ; its 

 distinctive characters had, however, been made out by myself long- 

 previous to this interview with Mr. Thompson, and reference is 

 made to it in my Catalogue.* 



" This zoophyte, as well as the succeeding species, exhibits in a 

 very remarkable degree that ' close adhesion to life,' the usual 

 accompaniment of a low organization, which renders this class of 

 animals so patient of injuries which would be fatal to beings of 

 greater complexity of structure. I have on more than one occasion 

 seen the polypidoms of this and the following species enveloped in 

 a firm coating of ice ; on immersion of either of these in sea-water 

 the coating has become dissolved, and the polypi have protruded 

 their feelers, and have appeared as active as though they had never 

 been exposed to such a very low degree of temperature as would have 

 destroyed the life of more highly organized animals. From this 

 it is apparent that their sensibility cannot be very great." A. 

 H. Hassall. 



22. Sarcochitum,j- Hassall. 



Character. — " Polypidom encrusting, fleshy, covered with 

 numerous prominences of irregular form and unequal size, from 

 which the 'polypi issue ; ova circular, scattered singly throughout 

 the polypidom ; a dark hrown body of a circidar form, filled 

 with small round granules, is apparent in great numhers through 

 the polypidom. Polypi ascidianr Hassall. 



1. S. POLYouM. A. H. Hassall. 



* Published in the " Annals" for Nov. 1840, p. 170. 

 t From (Tap?, flesh, and ^itiov, a coat or crust. 



