148 THE SLIMY LAOMEDEA. 



enlarged, seen from "beneath. 7. the same viewed 



sidewise. 



I have not at all entered into the structm^e of the 

 polype itself in the preceding description ; for the 

 specimens that I have as yet observed were not in 

 sufficient vigour to allow me to have a sight of one at 

 work. It is only under very favourable circumstances 

 that these sensitive creatures will display their beauti- 

 fully delicate organization ; in nine cases out of ten, 

 or even more, you will find the polypes forcibly con- 

 tracted within their cells, and pertinaciously refusing 

 to protrude themselves until they die. 



THE SLIMY LAOMEDEA. 



May \^th. A very clean aiid beautiful specimen of 

 Laomedea gelaiinosa affords me an excellent example 

 of the structure of a Sertularian polype ; the more so 

 because the stem carries but a single cell, the inha- 

 bitant of which expands w^ith the utmost confi- 

 dence. From a fibrous thread that creeps along the 

 lilac crust of a Coralline, springs up a slender 

 transparent tube standing erect to a great height as 

 compared with its thickness, sending off at remote 

 intervals branches on either side. These branches 

 are marked just above their commencement and just 

 before their termination with a number of constrictions, 

 causing the substance between to assume the form of 

 so many rounded joints, or appearing as if tied 

 tightly round. The end of each branch bears an 

 elegant vase-like cell, in form like a deep ale-glass, of 



