158 Z. HYDROIDA. Cymodocea. 



Cymodocea,* Lamouroux. 

 Character. " Plant-like ; cells cylindrical, varying in 

 length, Jiliform, alternate or opposite ; stem Jistular, marked loith 

 rings beloiv, plain above, and without interior division." 



1. C. SIMPLEX, stems simple, slightly undulated, tivig-like ; 



cells long and filiform, alternate. Dawson Turner.-f- 



Cymodocea simplex, Lamour. Cor. Flex. 216, pi. 7, fig. 2. Corallina, 95, 



pi. 7, fig. 2 La Cymodocee simple, Blainv- Actinolog. 487. pi. 81, 



fig- 4. 



Hab. The sea near Yarmoiith, and in Ireland, Turner. 

 Height nearly three inches : colour a yellow-fawn. 



2. C. coMATA, stems straight, cylindrical, almost simple ; 



branchlets capillary, whorled, numerous, fiexuous, jointed and 



ceiliferous. Dr Leach.J 



Cymodocea comata, Lamour. Ellis and Soland. Zooph. 15, pi. 67, fig- 

 12, 13. Flem. Brit. Anim. 551. La C. chevelue, Blainv. Actino- 

 log. 487. 



Hab. Coast of Devonshire, Leach. 



Height about one decimetre : colour yellowish. At each joint of 

 the branchlets there is a short cell ringed at its base, and almost in- 

 visible to the naked eye. 



I have seen no authentic specimen of either species, the above 

 descriptions being translated from the works of Lamouroux. He 

 says that Cymodocea has the closest relations with Tubularia, 

 from which, however, it differs in the position of the polype-cells 

 which are placed, not at the top of the branches, but upon these 

 branches or upon their divisions. From this circumstance La- 

 mouroux classes the genus amongst the Sertulariadse, to which alli- 

 ance the absence of ovarian vesicles seems opposed, nor can we hope 

 to locate the genus with any certainty until the polypes have been 

 discovered. The very existence of the genus has in fact been ques- 



* The name of one of the sea-nymphs into which the ships of iEneas were 

 changed by Cybele. 



f D. Turner, Esq. of Yarmouth, F. L. S. : — very eminent for his knowledge 

 of cryi^togamic botany, and for his skill in antiquities. He is the author of a 

 beautiful work on the Fuci. The genus Dawsonia of Robert Brown is a just 

 tribute to his merit. 



\ William Elford Leach — a naturalist of most indomitable enthusiasm and very 

 extraordinary acquirements. He died in Italy in 1836, of cholera. " We may 

 say, with respect to the extent and effect of his zoological labours, — Nihil non 

 tetigit, et omnia quae tetigit ornavit." — Kirhy. 



