150 CATALOGUE OF THE ZOOrilYTES OF 



In the Laminarian zone; frequent: usually found thrown 

 up among sea-weeds. Cullercoats, common. — J. Coppin^ 

 Esq. Extremely abundant on the south coast of Dur- 

 ham. — J. Hogg^ Esq. 

 This species has been hitherto confounded with the Cellularia 

 phtmosa of Pallas, the "Soft Feather Coralline" of Ellis, from 

 which it is sufficiently distinct. The latter is a delicate species, 

 of a bright buff colour when fresh, but becoming white Avhen 

 dried. It is a south country form, confined, for the most part, 

 to the south and west coasts of Britain. The present is a North 

 Sea species, found plentifully on the north-east coast of England 

 and Scotland, and extending to Greenland and Norway. It is 

 robust, stiffish, and rather shrubby in growth (compared by Sir 

 J. G. Dalyell to an aged tree in miniature), and usually opaque 

 and umber-coloured in the old stem and branches, which throw 

 out numerous radical fibres. The living parts are nearly colour- 

 less when fresh, but in drying assume a reddish or purplish hue. 

 The cells are more elongated and cylindrical than in B. plumosa 

 (which is accurately represented in PI. liv., f. 1 — 5, of Mr. 

 Busk's Catalogue), and have the spine much stouter, more 

 cylindrical, and nearly always with a joint at the base. The 

 spine in B. plumosa is short, and more properly homologous with 

 a small denticle, situated outside the spine, at the extreme edge 

 of the aperture, in B. fastigiata, which can generally be detected 

 when looked for, and sometimes rises into a second spine. The 

 avicularium is much larger than in B. plumosa, and the ovicap- 

 sule smaller, shallower, and set at an open angle with the top 

 of the cell. It has a rib near the margin. 



In unravelling the synonyms of this species, it is necessary 

 to pass over the Sert. fastigiata of Linnaeus, which probably 

 includes both kinds. In the Sertularia fastigiata of Fabricius, 

 however, we recognise the present species from its purple colour 

 and rigid mode of growth, as well as from its size. It may be 

 allowable, therefore, to restrict the nB,rae fastigiata to this species, 

 the more especially as it has been applied to the same form by 

 most of the Scottish naturalists. 



