164 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 
Hab. Parasitical on corallines and seaweeds. 
“ This very minute coralline arises from small irregular 
tubes, which adhere to and twine about other corallines, 
particularly the sickle coralline. Exceedingly small twisted 
stalks go out from this tubular stem, which supports little 
bell-shaped cups with indented brims. At the bottom of 
each, where they join to the stalks, the microscope discovers 
to us a very minute spherule or little ball, as in some drink- 
ing-glasses.” (Z/dis.) The stalks are sometimes even and 
smooth. We were rather surprised, on one occasion, to see 
the stalks without a ring, quite smooth, and of greater 
length than usual; but we could account for this on reading 
the observations of Mr. Couch, “that the animal possesses 
the power of corrugating the whole,” and, consequently, of 
relaxing the corrugation. It was some time before we 
observed the vesicles, which are less conspicuous from 
being sessile, but they are of considerable size, ovate, and 
wrinkled. 
On the west coast of Scotland, it is chiefly found on 
Halidrys and other seaweeds, though we have seen it on the 
shell of a crab. Lately, on taking up on the shore a drifted 
larch branch, we found every twig of it “bearded like the 
pard ” with this little parasite. It is a beautiful microscopic 
