NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 107 



Tubularia coronata, Abildg. in Mull. Zool. Dan. v. 4, p. 25, 



t. cxli., f. 1 — 5. 

 On stones near low-water mark ; frequent. 



4. T. GRACILIS, Harvey. 



Johns. Brit. Zooph., 52, t. iv., f. 3 — 5, and t. v., 

 f. 3, 4? 

 On corallines, and other marine substances, generally on a 



muddy bottom, in the coralline zone and deep water; 



frequent. 

 The difference between this species and the last has been very 

 imperfectly defined. The two kinds, as they occur on our 

 coast, appear sufficiently distinct. T. gracilis is always found in 

 deepish water; generally forming a mass of interlaced tubes, 

 rising from three to three and a-half inches high. The tubes 

 are very slender, firm (keeping their form when dry), and ringed 

 at intervals, the intermediate spaces being quite smooth. They 

 are iiTcgularly branched ; the branches frequently going off at 

 right angles. The heads are large and bright orange-red, bear- 

 ing the ova on branched footstalks, which, when mature, hang 

 down like a bunch of grapes. The species I refer to T. larynx 

 is of humbler growth, seldom reaching an inch and a-half in height, 

 and more frequently, not more than an inch. It lives in rock- 

 pools between tide-marks, forming little tufts, usually attached 

 to stones. The tube is rather less slender than in T. gracilis^ of 

 thinner consistence (the sides often falling together when dry), 

 and more annulated, the dried polypary appearing wrinkled 

 throughout, with more distinct rings at intervals. It is simple, 

 or very slightly branched. The ovi-pedicles are also less 

 branched in this species than in T. gracilis — at least, in any 

 s^^ecimens that I have seen; but this character depends very 

 much on the state of maturity of the ova. The colour of them 

 in T. larynx is purplish red. This species ajDpears to me to be 

 the true Tuhularia muscoides of Linnseus, in which opinion I am 

 glad to find that Professor Lov6n coincides. There can be no 

 doubt of its being the species described by Pallas, under that 

 name. 



