558 
POLYPI. 
LobuJarict digitata. — Tiie Fingered Lobularia. 
Plate CIV. fig. 2. 
Sessile, pale rusty, gelatinous and fleshy; the lobe from two 
to live inches thick, and obtuse. Inhabits the European seas. 
ORDER III.—POLYPI VAGINATI. 
Each individual polypus provided with tentacula, constantly 
fixed in an inorganic body, which invests them, and forming a 
general compound of animals. 
Section I. 
The polypiferous masses are composed of two distinct and 
separate substances : first, of many horny fibres, either in fasci¬ 
culi, radiate, interlaced, or reticulated; and secondly, of a fleshy 
or gelatinous pulpy substance, which either covers, envelopes, 
or renders the fibres adherent: when dry, becomes of different 
degrees of consistency.—Its genera are, 1. Alcyonium ; 2. Ge- 
odia; .3. Tethia ; and, 
Genus 4.—SPONGIA.— Lamarck. 
Generic Character. —A polypiferous mass, adherent, soft and 
gelatinous, tenacious, and extremely flexible; the cartilaginous 
substance supported by calcareous or siliceous spiculiB; pores 
very numerous and irregular. 
Spongia palmata. — The Palmated Sponge. 
Plate CIV. fig. 4. 
Erect, compressed and very porous, with palmated digitiform 
branches; and a subacute furcated apex. Inhabits the Euro¬ 
pean seas. 
Genus 5.—FLABELLARIA. — Lamarck. 
Generic Character. —With a fan-shaped, caulescent, incrlisted 
polypiferous mass, frequently divided, and having flattened ex¬ 
pansions, subarticulate and proliferous; with a short thickish 
cylindrical stem ; tissue consisting of interlaced fibres; articula¬ 
tions somewhat kidney-shaped, broader than long; with the 
superior margin rounded and sinuous. 
