308 NATURAL HTSTOEY OF 



by the mere invagination of the tentacular sheath ; not 

 protected by external labia. — T. H. 



Genus Alcyonidium, Lamouroux. 

 (From a supposed resemblance to the genns Alcyonium.) 

 Zooecia immersed or subimmersed ; the orifice simple, 

 papilliform. Zoarium gelatinous or argillaceous, either 

 incrusting or erect. — T. H. 



1. A. GELATINOSUM, LinncBus. 



Alcyonium gelatinosum [Linn., Pall., E. andS.,Lamx., 

 De Bl., Balyell), Ulva diaphana (Sowerby, LamJc.), Epi- 

 petrum gelatinosum {Ohen), Alcyonidium diaphanum 

 (Lamx., Gray, &c.), Halodactylus diaphanus (Farre, 

 Van Ben.). 



Hab. : Common. 



This species is the " Sea Ragged Staff " of Ellis 

 (Cor. 87), who states that it is called by the fishermen 

 " Pipe-weed or Pudding- weed." He says : " This 

 iiTegular shaped sizy substance is found adhering to 

 most kinds of marine substances, so that it frequently 

 becomes troublesome to the fishermen by often clogging 

 their nets." He failed in the first instance to recog- 

 nize the nature of the substance described by him, and 

 considered it " the spawn of some numerous species of 

 shell-fish.^' '* It is of a dark yellowish colour, and 

 buncheth forth on everie side with unequal tuberosities 

 or knots.'" — Johnson. 



It grows to the height of several inches, and 

 assumes various shapes. The zoarium is of a fleshy 

 texture, and the cells are very numerous and closely 

 arranged. The polypide has about 15 tentacles. 



2. A. HiRSUTUM, Fleming. 



Alcyonium hirsutum [Flem., G. J.), Cycloum papil- 



