VIRGULARIA. 181 



such specimens, all have been white. A small specimen once occurred on 

 the back of a living crab. 



Both white and orange Lobularia are very common in the Scotish 

 seas. I have seen at least fifty specimens at once laying on Newhaven 

 Pier, which had been accidentally brought up by lines and dredges. 



Plate XLII. Fig. 1. Lobularia displayed in vigour. 



2. Part of the surface. Hydra; retracted, giving it a stellat* 



appearance. 



3. Ova enlarged. 



4. Ova more enlarged. 



5. Yellow ova in a white Lobularia. 



§ 2. Virgularia. — Pennatula mirabilis. — Sea Rush. — Plate XLIII. 

 We have had already some singular examples of conformation and pro- 

 perties among the Rare and Remarkable Animals of Scotland, passing un- 

 der our general review. But I know not that any of the whole is more 

 entitled to be distinguished than the product now before us, whereof every 

 naturalist enjoying the enviable prerogative of personal experience has ex- 

 pressed the highest admiration, Opportunities of doing so, however, are 

 seldom granted, for the Virgularia is never readily found ; it dwells in few 

 places, and these of limited extent. Neither can I certify from what I 

 myself have seen, or from the narrative of others, that in this country it 

 has occurred entire and unmutilated on any occasion whatever. I have 

 not had the good fortune of fiuding a representation of it in a perfect state, 

 nor even the slightest notice of its habits. No doubt such accounts are 

 extant, though, with too many others, it has not been my lot to benefit by 

 them. 



The Virgularia in vigour, bears a considerable general resemblance to 

 a feather, much more so, than to either a rod or a rush, whence the syno- 

 nym Pennatula is perhaps to be preferred, as more expressive than the 

 indefinite appellative recently conferred on it, which can have resulted 

 onlv from ignorance of its real conformation. 



Like the former, this product belongs to the Carnose or Asteroidal 



