ALCYONIUM. 215 
expression alcyon or halcyon days, which we all so much 
desire. 
This is spoken of as being very common on all our shores, 
It is by no means common on those parts of our shores 
which are sandy, but we have got very fine specimens from 
Arran and Cumbraes. When it is large and lobed, it as- 
sumes forms to which our fishermen fail not to give appro- 
priate names, such as dead man’s hands, dead man’s toes, 
cows’ paps. A specimen of the latter kind, found on the 
shore at Saltcoats, was brought to me as a great wonder. 
It certainly very much resembled the udder of a little High- 
land cow. When a specimen is got in a fresh state, the 
naked eye can easily see that the surface is closely covered 
with star-like figures, and if placed in sea-water, these star- 
like impressions project considerably from the surface, show- 
ing that they are polypes with eight tentacula. Lillis says 
that the specimen he figures in plate xxxii. was got at the 
Nore, adhering to an oyster-shell. ‘ When it first came, I 
observed the surface full of small papille, with a star of 
eight points on the top of each. After it had been suffered 
to rest for some time in the salt-water, each small star sent 
forth a polype with eight tentacula.”’ Dr. Johnston also 
remarks, “ When a specimen of Alcyoniwm digitatum is 
