29 



LOBSTER'S-HORN CORALLINE, OR SEA BEARD. 



A. Antennina. Stem covered witli hair-like branchlcts, 

 arranged in a circular manner round the stem : cells wine- 

 glass shaped, with two hollow denticles between each. 

 PI. vii. 



Lobster's-horn coralline, or sea-beard, Ellis' Cor., p. 15, 

 no. 14, pi. 9, fig. a b, A, B. C. Sert. antennina, Tur- 

 ton's Lin., vol. 4, p. 679. Stewart's Elem., vol. 2, p. 443, 

 Ant. antennina, Fleming's Brit. An., p. 51f». Johnston's 

 Brit. Zoopli., p. 139, pi. xvi. Ellis and Solander's Zooph., 

 p. 45. 



Var. 1. Not branched. Corallina astaci corniculonim 

 aemula. — Muscus marinus seu Coralloides non ramosus erectus, 

 Rail, Synop. Slirp., vol. 1, p. 34, no. 10. Ant. indivisa, 

 Templeton in Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 9, p. 468. .Johnston's 

 Brit. Zooph., p. 139, pi. 16, fig. 1, 



Far. 2. Branched. Corallina ramosa cirris obsita. Rati, 

 Synop. Stirp., vol. 1, p. 35, no. 11. Ant. ramosa, Tem- 

 pletoo in Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. 9, p. 468. Johnston's Brit. 

 Zooph., pi, xvi., fig. 2. 



Hnb. On Pinna ingens, oysters, shells, stones, and sand, 

 from deep water; very common, especially in oyster beds. 



There are two variations of this species which at first 

 would seem to constitute specific differences, but after many 

 examinations, 1 am inclined to think they are only varieties, 

 and Dr. Johnston is of the same opinion. 



The first variety generally grows in clusters on sandy soils 

 or on stones lying in sand, rooted together by small brown 

 tubular fibres, which are matted together by sand and frag- 

 ments of shells. The stem grows to the height of about 

 eleven inches, surrounded by its hair-like branches. 



The second variety grows most cotiiinonly on oysters in 

 single specimens, and not in tufts as the first. The branches 

 generally arise from the lower part of tlie stem and nearly 

 at right angles; sometimes at about45'*., and from all parts of 

 the stem. The branches are similar to the trunk, and 

 straight; though I have another variety about nine inches in 

 height, which is branched, and the branches again branched 

 like a tree, variously twisted and bent. The stem and 

 branches are of a yellow pellucid horn colour, when living, 

 but are duller in dead specimens; they are of equal thick- 

 ness throughout and divided at short intervals by imperfect 

 septa. The branchlets surround the branches and stem, ia 

 a verticillate manner, and are so slender that they resemble 

 hair. The branchlets have a single row of cup-like cells, 

 distantly arranged on their upper edges. The cells rest 



D 



