114 NATURAL HISTORY OP 



to draw an additioBal argument in bebalf of the vege- 

 tability of the corallines themselves ; and a Darwinian 

 might be perhaps forgiven, were he even now to feign 

 how the Nereids stole them from the mossy habitats of 

 Flora's winter and vernal sheds, to deck and gem the 

 arbuscular garniture of their coral caves." The caly- 

 cles are very small, and are sharply pointed at the end. 

 They have also a small acute projection on each side. 

 The internodes are of the first order, but vary in 

 length. There is a small calycle at the axils of the 

 branches. The capsules are closed by hinged opercula. 



4. S. PiLicuLA, E. and S. 



5. abietina, var. /3. (Pall.), Dynamena filicula (Flevi.). 

 Hab. : Widely distributed. Liverpool, Oban (T. H.), 



Bangor, Seascale, Filey, plentiful {A. S. P.). Height 

 1 — 4 in. 



This is the '' Fern Coralline " of Ellis and Solander. 

 In appearance and mode of growth it much resembles 

 8. abietina, but the latter is much larger and coarser. 

 The calycles are flask- shaped. They are not directly 

 opposite, but are subalternate. The internodes are of 

 the first order (i.e. two calycles to each). As in the 

 last species, there is an axillary calycle at each branch. 

 The stems are bent at alternate angles, from which the 

 pinnae arise. 



The appearance of this species is very graceful. The 

 colour is a bright straw, and the growth is very diffuse. 

 The name of E. and S. is very appropriate. 



The gonothecee are pear-shaped. They are rarely 

 produced. Ellis, however, with his accustomed accu- 

 racy and research, observed and figured them. Mr. 

 Mcintosh (St. Andrew's Fauna) states that he has 

 found this species in the stomach of the cod. 



